Eternal Nightmares
by Girl on Fire
Summary: Witch-turned-vampire Katarina Waters has a zombie girlfriend, a complicated relationship with her stepbrother, and a volatile ex-boyfriend who wants her by his side forever.
1. I'll Never Let You Go

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone. All characters are the property of TNA and WWE.

Author's Notes: Katarina is based on her current TNA persona, Winter, but she will be portrayed more like her WWE character, Katie Lea, when I write about her teenage and pre-university life.

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><p>"Let me in, Katarina."<p>

My blood seemed to turn into ice water at the sound of his thick British accent. I knew there was someone waiting on my doorstep before he began pounding on the door and opened his mouth-someone who wasn't human. I could hear his heavy footsteps approaching, and, when I listened for a heartbeat, I was rewarded with silence.

I'd been careless. I never thought Stu Bennett would follow me to America. Well, he could wait outside until the sun came up for all I cared. He couldn't step inside my flat without an invitation.

"Open the door, Katarina, or I'll rip the bloody thing off its hinges!"

"Go away, Stu. I want nothing more to do with you." The man couldn't take a hint. I mean, I'd crossed an entire _ocean_ to get away from him. I was creeped out and yet strangely flattered that he had made the effort to track me down.

Meanwhile, my girlfriend Angelina sat motionless on the sofa, oblivious to the danger lurking just outside our shared flat. She continued staring straight ahead, her electric blue eyes blank and unblinking in typical zombie fashion.

"Katie…" A hint of desperation crept into Stu's voice. "I just want to talk, love. Don't be frightened."

Frightened? _Me_? I wanted to laugh in his face. I was a witch by birthright and a vampire by choice. I possessed more power than Stu could even _dream_ of having.

The only problem was, I still struggled to harness the energy of my combined powers. Some of my witchcraft had been lost in transition, unfortunately. Any spells I cast since becoming a vampire either had no effect or resulted in disastrous consequences.

"If you don't open the door I'll kill the first person I see and leave their body on your front step," he threatened. "It will be difficult to keep a low profile after that, don't you think?"

I couldn't argue with that kind of logic. Damn him. Reluctantly, I crossed the room and opened the door about six inches-as wide as the chain would allow.

"Satisfied?"

"Not exactly." He grabbed the security chain and snapped it in half with his thumb and index finger, then gave the door a light push. It would have crashed into me if not for my quick reflexes.

"It seems you've forgotten the rules, Stuart," I reminded him with a grin. I instinctively put some distance between us, even though I knew he couldn't walk through the door. I'd been on the receiving end of Stu's violent temper before. "I haven't invited you in."

Stu smirked. "It doesn't matter. Need I remind you that you do not own this building?" Slowly, deliberately, he placed one foot across the threshold and then the other. "Fortunately, your landlord didn't hesitate to give me permission." He took in the living room, his gaze sweeping over the black, red, and purple furnishings before stopping on Angelina. He blinked and raised an eyebrow at me. "Who or what is _that_?"

"_She_ is my girlfriend. Her name is Angelina." Actually, it was Lauren, but I'd renamed her after the…incident. "Lauren" seemed too bland-too _normal_-a name for a zombie covered in tattoos and piercings with purple-streaked platinum blonde hair.

"Girlfriend, huh?" Stu cupped my chin in his hand before I could back away, tilting my head upward so that his brilliant green eyes gazed directly into my blue ones. "She's lovely, sweetheart, but she could never take my place."

I'd almost forgotten how handsome he was. Stu was six-and-a-half feet of pure muscle encased in a black t-shirt and jeans, and his equally dark, curly hair was slicked down so that it curled just at the ends. Personality aside, his only flaw was a nose that had suffered countless fractures during his human lifetime.

"Like what you see?" he asked, still wearing his trademark smirk. I didn't know how to answer that because I found him equally sexy and repulsive, so I said nothing. "I've missed you, Katie…"

The next thing I knew, Stu's thin lips brushed against mine.

I started to kiss him back as he crushed my long brown hair between the fingers of his free hand and pulled me against his body. It was such a familiar, comfortable position that I nearly surrendered to his will.

Then I remembered. I heard that thunderous voice cursing me, threatening me…I felt his fist smashing into my jaw….I thought of Angelina waiting motionless on the sofa….

Calling upon every reserve of physical and emotional strength within me, I shoved Stu in the chest. He stumbled backward a few feet and looked up just in time to see me bare my fangs at him. I felt an unexpected pang of longing at the sight of my red lipstick smeared on his lips and around his mouth. We'd often hunted together after he turned me-and the sex was _always _best after feeding.

"Careful," I whispered, trembling with the effort of restraining my intense, conflicted emotions. "I bite."

Stu let out a humorless laugh. His green eyes shifted to gray like they always did whenever he was upset. I could feel the anger radiating from him in thick waves and I wisely put some more distance between us. I tried to embrace my witch nature and concentrated on turning him into a defenseless little mouse, but nothing happened. Well, it was worth a try…

"Is that any way to treat the man you're going to spend eternity with?"

"Eternity? I broke up with you, Stuart! We're _through_-"

"We're bonded by blood, Katarina." His expression was so unbearably smug that I felt a shiver race up and down my spine. He caught my hand and kissed it gently. "It's the vampire equivalent of a marriage-and I'm not leaving here without _my wife_."


	2. Powerless

Thank you to Ortonholic and Lay-Cool Lover for your positive feedback. Please read and review!

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><p>"I'm not going <em>anywhere<em> with you," I snarled, jerking my hand away. "Now get the hell out of my flat or I'll-"

"You'll what?" Stu folded his massive arms across his chest, clearly amused. "You're a child, Katarina. I've been a vampire since the days of the Revolutionary War, remember? You may have held some power over me when you were still a witch, but being turned damaged your abilities considerably."

_Stall him, _urged a voice inside my head. _Keep him talking._

"You don't know that."

"I do, actually. I clearly recall your frustration at trying to cast spell after spell without success…But enough talk. We're leaving right now."

He appeared at Angelina's side before I could even protest and stroked her silky hair in a gesture that appeared loving yet was anything but.

"Bring your pet zombie, too." Stu smiled brightly. "The three of us are going to have so much fun together…" His hand slithered up her thigh, under her dress and toward a very sensitive area-and something in me snapped.

"Don't touch her!" I shrieked, throwing myself at him. It was only when Stu grabbed my wrist that I realized my mistake. Instinct compelled me to struggle against his grip even though I knew my efforts were in vain.

"Do your worst," he said coolly, but his eyes were dancing. My temper only became more violent at his obvious struggle to stifle his amusement.

As a witch, I sometimes used a paralyzing spell when I needed to escape someone I was incapable of outrunning. I studied Stu intently, imagined him enclosed within a block of ice…and then I heard the bathroom mirror crash to the floor and shatter into thousands of glittering shards.

Bloody hell. I think my magic is actually getting _worse_.

Stu glanced toward the hallway and shook his head. His smirk reappeared as he turned his attention back to me.

"I don't want to use force on you-either of you-but I will if you don't cooperate. Understand?"

I nodded after a moment's hesitation. What choice did I have? My witchcraft was unreliable and I was about as helpless as the average mortal against a vampire who'd spent over three hundred years regularly indulging in human blood. Besides, Stu had Angelina by the arm and I couldn't bear the thought of harm coming to her. Zombies were incapable of feeling physical and emotional pain, but I needed Angelina in good condition just in case I could somehow-someday-restore her to her former glory.

"Good. Now let's go."

He moved so fast that everything in between that second and the moment Angelina and I were shoved into his car was literally a blur. I wasn't even sure what kind of vehicle he had, but I thought it was a dark color-black or perhaps blue.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Stu murmured as he slipped the key into the ignition.

I ignored him and leaned my head against the cool window on the passenger side, beginning to formulate an escape plan. I was neither strong enough to overpower Stu nor fast enough to run away without being caught. Stu was, however, susceptible to my feminine charms…I shuddered at the thought of sinking to that level, but, if it bought my freedom and Angelina's….

"Are you shuddering in anticipation or terror?"

"Disgust," I snapped, grateful that vampires lacked mind reading abilities.

He chuckled. "You're not fooling anyone, Katarina. You've never been able to resist me for long."

I rolled my eyes. "I've survived a long time without you."

"You poor thing. However did you manage?"

I glanced at Stu and decided that I wanted to fuck him _and_ kill him. Unfortunately, being so close to him was bringing back the memories I'd tried hard to forget…

"_I want you to turn me."_

_Stu and I were lying in his bed, wrapped up in each others' arms after a night of passionate lovemaking. My heart was beating faster than a frightened rabbit's and I struggled to catch my breath. I could only imagine how much more intense and pleasurable sex would be between two vampires. _

_He cupped my chin in his hand and peered deep into my eyes. His mouth was set in a tight line, frown lines were etched into his rugged features, and those gorgeous green eyes expressed his conflicting feelings on the subject._

"_Are you absolutely sure? I want to be with you forever, Katarina, but, if you change your mind-"_

"_I won't." I traced the large tribal tattoo on his left arm while I spoke. "I've wanted this ever since I realized what you were."_

"_But what if you made the wrong choice? I couldn't bear the thought of you hating me forever," Stu whispered. He let go of my chin and turned away-but not before I noticed that his eyes glistened with unshed tears. _

"_Well, _I_ can't stand the thought of dying and leaving you behind. Besides, you'd feel even worse if you killed me by accident." We'd already come dangerously close to the latter situation more times than I cared to remember. It was one of the perils of being a mortal in love with a vampire._

_Stu sighed. "What about your family and friends? You'll more than likely never see them again. It's too dangerous for everyone involved."_

_I felt an insistent, stabbing pain in my chest at the thought of never again seeing my stepbrother, Paul. We'd been closer than siblings, to put it mildly, but we had chosen different paths in life and didn't get to spend much time together anymore. Still, I hated having to choose between the two men I loved more than anyone else in the world._

_"I'll use phone calls and the Internet to keep in touch," I argued, even as I tried to convince myself that I'd someday overcome my bloodlust enough to visit Paul. I brushed my hair back with one hand, exposing my pale throat to my current lover. "I understand if you don't want to do it, but I _want_ to become a vampire-and it _will_ happen, with or without your help." _

_Stu sat up, alarmed. "What are you talking about?"_

"_I'm sure your friend Drew would be more than happy to-"_

"_No. I'll do it," Stu agreed through gritted teeth. He and Drew were like brothers, but Drew was a beautiful and charming ladies' man. Stu didn't want me to be alone with the Scottish vampire for any reason. _

_I smirked knowingly. "I thought you would. I love you, Stu." In gratitude, I caressed his face and kissed him gently._

"_I love you, too, Katie." He pressed his lips to my throat before seeking out an artery with his fangs. I cried out in both pain and pleasure and involuntarily reached for him to bring him closer._

_It wasn't long before I began to feel cold and exhausted. Stu fed until I thought he'd lost control and worried that I was going to die from blood loss. Then I felt him pull away, and I struggled to keep my eyes open so I could watch him bite down on his wrist._

"_Drink, my love," he ordered, pressing his wounded flesh to my lips._

_I did. I'd tasted his blood before; it was bitter and metallic-flavored, just like human blood. Stu sometimes took too much from me when he was feeling particularly hungry or reaching the height of ecstasy, and I needed his blood to recover. _

_Several mouthfuls later, I felt better than I had in my entire life. None of the drugs or alcohol I'd fooled around with as a teenager had ever left me feeling so blissful and sensual afterward._

"_Close your eyes."_

_I obliged him because I knew it hurt Stu terribly to kill me-even though I would soon return from the land of the dead. I could almost imagine his pained expression…._

_Seconds later, I felt his hands wrap around my neck, followed by a sharp twist and a cracking sound-and then there was only darkness._

"Katie!"

"What?" Stu's booming voice caused me to jump. I blinked and looked out the window again. We had pulled up to a battered white farmhouse, complete with peeling paint, located on a few acres. I could only guess where Stu planned to take Angelina and me, but this wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

"I _said, _we're here." He looked smug. "That must have been some fantasy. You haven't heard a word I've said."

"Oh, shut up." I stretched my legs as I exited the car. Stu had already retrieved Angelina from the backseat and walked her over to me.

"She's dead if you try anything," he warned me.

I swallowed hard, nodded, and trailed them up the porch steps. I didn't know whether to be pleased or worried that he hadn't threatened me with death, too.

Stu shoved Angelina through the front door and followed her inside while I waited on the porch. Trying to enter a house or flat without an invitation always felt like walking into an invisible brick wall.

He turned around, bowed slightly, and gracefully swept his arm in a welcoming gesture.

"Come in."

What other choice did I have?


	3. Prisoners

Thank you to those of you who have read, reviewed, and added this story to your favorites and story alerts! I really appreciate it.

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><p>"Welcome home."<p>

Stu wasn't referring to his home in general but a specific area of the house-the basement. My heart sank as I peeked between the bars covering the small window in the door. All I could see were a staircase and the concrete floor below. And, with the exception of the light shining in from the first floor, there wasn't even a light source. I'd go mad less than five minutes after being shut inside!

"Surprised?" he continued after stealing a glance at my face. He swung the door open so I could get a better look. "I suppose you thought I was going to handcuff you to my bed. Believe me, the thought _did_ cross my mind."

For once in my life, words failed me, because I was definitely thinking along those lines. I was still trying to come up with a response when I went flying through the air, bypassing the stairs entirely and landing awkwardly-and painfully-on the concrete.

There had never been a sound as deafening as the door being slammed shut on my freedom.

In spite of my injuries, I raced up the stairs, moving so fast that I didn't realize the inside of the door was coated with silver until I collided with it. I immediately began to scream in agony and collapsed as my hands and forearms blistered and burned with the intensity of wildfire. Touching silver was the vampire's equivalent of being scalded by acid.

Stu's voice floated through the window: "Sorry. I forgot to tell you that your side of the door is coated in silver. The bars are silver, too." He smiled proudly and I heard the _click_ of a lock. "I'm afraid there's no way out without my consent, love."

"Bastard!" I shrieked. "I _hate_ you!" I calmed down only slightly when I realized that my skin had started the healing process. Of all the nights to turn choose a tank top over a shirt with long sleeves…

"You might want to choose your words more carefully." Stu wore his best 'Don't fuck with me' face. "Remember, I control your fate now. Hers, too," he added, gesturing to Angelina, who stood at his side like a statue.

That silenced me-temporarily, at least.

"I'll be back for you later," Stu vowed. He looked as smug as a cat who'd trapped a canary under his paw. "Oh, and don't worry about Angelina…I'll take good care of her."

"If you touch her again…So help me, God, Stuart, I will _kill you myself_!"

He laugh and shook his head as he walked away, taking my girlfriend with him. I listened to his footsteps-and Angelina's-grow fainter and fainter, then sat down on the second to last step with a groan. My flesh had almost been restored to its normal condition by that time, but the burning misery remained to some degree.

Much to my relief, I didn't hear anything to imply that Stu was assaulting Angelina. I did hear the television come on, though-some kind of sporting event. Still, my mind tormented me with images of Stu caressing Angelina, kissing her, feeding off her…

The last thought made my stomach ache something terrible.

Oh, God. I hadn't gone hunting tonight. The only way I could control my bloodlust was with nightly feedings…I recalled that Stu always kept a few blood bags in a freezer on the rare occasion he didn't have access to fresh human blood. He might be selfish and cruel, but surely even he didn't intend to stave me forever!

"Stu?" I called out softly, knowing he could hear a whisper from miles away. When I didn't get a response-either verbal or in the form of footsteps-I decided to raise my voice to a shriek. "_Stuart! I need to talk to you!"_

Naturally, he took his time getting here…

"What do you want?" He managed to appear both annoyed and smug at the same time. Perhaps he thought I was already willing to make a deal in exchange for getting out of this cell. Angelina, I noticed, was nowhere to be found.

"I'm starving." I stood up and forced myself to pout in the manner that both Stu and Paul always found irresistible, but Stu, apparently, had developed an immunity to that particular expression during our time apart.

"Don't worry. No vampire has ever died of starvation," he said coldly. "I will, however, offer you a few drops of blood now and then-_if _you behave."

_A few drops now and then..._How very generous of him!

"I didn't fight you," I reminded him. "I did everything you asked-"

"But you also tried a few magic tricks, mouthed off, and threatened to kill me." Stu shook his head and made a clucking noise in disapproval. "You've been a very naughty girl, Katarina. Now you must suffer the consequences." He turned and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Please…" I _hated_ to use that word, but I was getting desperate. "Please don't do this to me, Stu…" My voice was choked with panic and I could barely resist the urge to grab the silver bars and rattle them like a prisoner would. "_Damn it_!" When it became clear that I couldn't get through to him, I trotted down the stairs and paced around the basement in hopes of easing my anxiety.

I wondered what happened to vampires who went too long without blood. Did they mummify, slip into a coma, or…Why was I even worrying about this? Stu obviously wanted me for sex, which meant he intended to keep me in a perpetual conscious yet weakened state.

Lucky me.

I wasn't sure how long I paced-there wasn't even a clock on the wall so I could measure the passing of time-but I finally gave that up when a hunger pang caused me to double over in agony. I gasped and wrapped my arms around my stomach just before my knees gave way.

It wouldn't be long before I went crazy and started acting like a rabid dog. For all I knew, I might even foam at the mouth, too.

None of this would have ever happened if I hadn't gone to England. Who knew that innocently following Paul to his home country and enrolling in the same university would lead to so much trouble? If I had stayed in Germany, I would have remained a witch, Paul would still be in my life, Angelina would be human and living in Canada…Best of all, I would never have crossed paths with the monster that was Stuart Alexander Bennett.

"_I can't believe I'm finally here," I sighed happily as I stretched out on Paul's sofa. His flat was sparsely furnished-typical for a university student on a budget-and there was evidence that he had a male flatmate. "That was the longest year of my _life_!" _

"_No wonder you chose to major in drama," Paul teased from the armchair. "You're a natural."_

"_Jerk," I laughed. I ripped the pillow out from under my head and threw it at him. He caught the pillow with ease and laughed, too-a sound that brought an instant smile to my face. I'd missed his voice._

"_I missed you so much, Katie." Paul's dark hair had lightened somewhat and was now long enough to wear in a ponytail, and he'd added some muscle since the last time I saw him. He was even sexier than I remembered, but I wanted to be reminded of just how good he looked without his jeans and T-shirt…_

"_Let's start making up for lost time," I suggested wickedly. A smirking Paul motioned me over to him, and we started kissing after I'd found a comfortable position-for both of us-on his lap. _

_Things were just heating up between us when the doorbell rang. With a disappointed sigh, I shifted my weight off of Paul and got to my feet. I hoped we could pick up where we left off after our guest went home._

"_It's probably my mate Stu," Paul groaned as he made his way to the front door. "I told him your flight was coming in today and he wanted to meet you." One glance through the peephole seemed to confirm his suspicions. _

_I peered around Paul's shoulder as he let Stu inside and greeted him-and my breath caught in my throat. _

_Stu rivaled Paul in the looks department. He was taller and more muscular, with curly, somewhat wild black hair and smoldering green eyes that turned my knees into jelly. It didn't hurt that Stu, like me, seemed to favor an entirely black wardrobe. Surprisingly, he looked older than I expected-in his late twenties or even his early thirties. Perhaps his crooked nose and the lines around his eyes had aged him prematurely._

"_Stu, this is my stepsister, Katie. Katie, this is Stu. He's a friend of mine from university."_

"_It's a pleasure to meet you, Katie," Stu declared in a heavy English accent. He smiled and reached for my hand, bowing his tall frame as if to plant a kiss on it._

_What happened next chilled me to the bone. The second our hands touched, a jolt of electricity surged through my body. Judging by Stu's reaction, he felt it, too. I gasped and immediately backed away while a wide-eyed Stu took a few steps backward as well._

_Nobody said anything for at least a minute. Stu and I continued to stare at each other in disbelief, and Paul, who must have been the most bewildered of all, glanced between us repeatedly._

"_Paul told me you were beautiful, but I had no idea you were a goddess," Stu finally said. His deep voice trembled slightly._

"_You're too kind." I felt my cheeks burn and knew they were tinted a brilliant shade of scarlet. "You're not so bad yourself, Stu."_

_He grinned. "Thanks for the compliment. You're here for university?"_

_I nodded. "I'm studying to be an actress. You know, Paul never told me how you two met…"_

"_Didn't he?" Stu glanced at Paul, who shrugged. "We're taking some of the same classes. And, yes, I _am_ an older student." He smirked and explained, "I decided to go back to school to pursue my dream of becoming a marine biologist."_

"_Sounds fascinating," I said with a genuine smile. I was surprised by his answer. Perhaps Stu was deeper than I had given him credit for._

"_I must be going, but I'm glad to have met you, Katie." He bowed slightly before nodding to Paul. "Good to see you again, Paul." _

_Paul waited just long enough to close the door behind Stu and lock it before blurting out the question that was on the tip of his tongue._

"_What the hell just happened?"_

"_There's something supernatural about him," I murmured. "I got a kind of electrical shock when he touched me…" _

_My stepbrother stared at me, jaw slightly open, for a long time. It was the same skeptical yet awed expression he had given me when I'd confessed to him, as a teenager, that I was a witch. He swallowed hard before speaking, and his voice came out a little funny when he finally did._

"_Are you saying Stu is a…Uh, what do you call a male witch? Wizard? Warlock?"_

"_No. He's not a witch. I don't know _what_ he is, but he isn't human."_

"_Hey, maybe he's a vampire. He only takes night classes," Paul joked, but then our eyes met and he suddenly looked uneasy. _

"_Maybe…" I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. _A vampire. _Was it possible? I knew from personal experience that both witches and ghosts were real, so why not other supernatural entities? _

"_Oh, no." Paul shook his head almost violently. "You don't actually think he's a-"_

"_A vampire? I don't know, Paul." I chewed on my bottom lip as I reflected on my encounter with Stu. "Just be careful around him, okay? He might be dangerous." That was definitely the vibe I'd picked up on-_danger_. _

"_I will," Paul promised. He hugged me and dropped a kiss on top of my head. I sighed again as I snuggled against his chest._

_I wished I could make the same promise, but there was some mysterious quality about Stu that made me want to get closer to him-even though my intuition was screaming at me to keep my distance…_

The pain in my stomach brought me back to Stu's wretched basement-turned-prison. I looked around the dark, damp basement and shuddered at the thought of being trapped in here forever. If that didn't motivate me to learn how to properly channel my witchcraft, nothing would.

_Someday, Stu, _I vowed silently. _Someday, I'll put you through hell for what you did to Angelina and me. _

I fantasized about Stu screaming his lungs out, covered in blood and burns, and begging me to stake him so he wouldn't have to endure another second of torture…and I felt an evil smirk tug at my lips until the next spasm of pain washed it away.


	4. Side Effects

Thank you to all of my readers, especially Lay-Cool Lover for reviewing the last chapter. I hope you all enjoy this one.

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><p>I smelled the blood long before I heard Stu approach me.<p>

The intense yet somewhat stale scent indicated cold human blood. Like Stu, I was partial to fresh blood from a human source-I had repeatedly tried and failed to exist on the "animal diet" alone-but, unlike him, I preferred to erase my victims' memories rather than kill them.

_Any_ kind of blood would do in an emergency, though. I could feel my mouth watering in anticipation.

"This is rubbish," Stu complained, holding up a nearly full plastic bag of blood. "I don't know how anyone could survive on it. I should just throw the rest down the drain-"

"If you don't want it…" I crept up the stairs, digging my fingernails into my palms against the pain of returning hunger.

"On second thought, it shouldn't go to waste." He looked me in the eye, smirked, and took a swig. Some of the liquid trickled down his chin and he made a show out of licking up the excess. Meanwhile, I clutched my stomach and gritted my teeth as a stabbing pain snaked through my abdomen. "What's the matter, Katie? You seem…uncomfortable."

"Where's…Angelina?" I managed to gasp out. I knew what _her_ blood smelled and tasted like, and-fortunately-there was no evidence that Wade had fed from her. She might be a zombie, but, unlike the brain-eating zombies in movies, she was very much alive and had human needs.

"She's fine," Stu assured me somewhat cryptically. Judging from his tone, he refused to provide me with more details than that. He took another, longer drink from the bag. "I don't blame you for doing it, you know. The girl had it coming."

"Excuse me?"

"Angelina. You wouldn't have turned her into your zombie sex slave if she hadn't rejected your advances." Stu shook his head as he studied me, and a disgusted sneer crept across his face. "How could anyone fail to be captivated by your beauty and charm?"

I quickly turned my attention to the floor so that Stu wouldn't see the hot tears stinging my eyes. He was right about Angelina's feelings toward me, but it was never my intention to make her a zombie.

"Or perhaps it was an accident-a love spell gone wrong."

"Are you going to finish that?" I snapped, eager to change the subject, and motioned to the plastic bag in Stu's hand. There was about half an inch of blood lining the bottom.

"Tell you what. I'll give you the rest…_if_ you strip for it."

"_Strip_?" At first, I wasn't sure I heard him correctly, but one look at Stu's sickening smirk and lustful eyes convinced me otherwise. "I don't think so, Stuart. You lost that privilege years ago."

"I'm not asking you to remove _all _your clothing-just the outer layers. If you want more blood, you'll have to earn it." I could tell that it took every bit of his self control not to join me in the basement, pin me down, and live out his fantasies right now. "Well? What do you say?"

I scowled at him. "I guess I'm not that hungry after all." But, even as I said it, my hunger pangs intensified.

Stu shrugged. "My offer still stands when you change your mind."

_When_, not _if_. I shuddered.

"Why are you keeping me locked up, anyway? It's not like I could possibly escape." At least, not without the help of my magic…

"You'll understand with time-and now you have plenty of time to reflect on your…life." I got one last glimpse of him just before he disappeared on me again. His expression was stony and his eyes had darkened somewhat.

Great. Now I was confused _and_ pissed off. I stretched out on the concrete and stared at the ceiling while the bloodlust continued to gnaw away at my insides.

_How long, _I wondered, _can I go without blood before Stu's offer tempts me?_ I was already going insane from being locked up and worrying about Angelina, and the hunger was _not_ helping my mood any…

I knew from previous experience just how dangerous a starving vampire could be. In that state, a vampire will attack, even kill, any human they come across-no matter how much that person means to them.

"_Katie? What are you doing here?"_

"_I've come to say goodbye." I was already choked up, but looking at Paul's lovely face for what might be the final time made it impossible to hold back the tears. I felt one, then two, teardrops spill down my cheek._

"_Goodbye? What are you talking about?"_

"_I'm leaving. Tonight." My voice was shaky and I had to pause to regain my composure. "This might be the last time we ever see each other."_

_Paul, understandably, looked alarmed. _

"_Come inside. Let's talk."_

"_I don't think that's such a good…idea," I mumbled, but he had already taken my hand and led me into the front hallway.. _

"_What's wrong? Are you in danger?" He pulled me into his arms and embraced me. "Don't cry, Katie. I'll help you."_

_My fangs were beginning to ache from being so close to a human. I tried not to breathe in his scent, but then I glanced up and noticed the intricate pattern of blue veins just underneath the skin of his throat…_

"_Don't touch me." I pushed Paul away with more force than I'd intended to use and accidentally shoved him against the sofa. "Please don't touch me." By now, the tears streamed down my face nonstop._

"_Did Stu hurt you?" Paul's hands curled into fists and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "If he did, I'll-"_

"_No!" I shook my head frantically-a bad idea when I was already dizzy from bloodlust. I felt as if I might faint. "Stu would _never _hurt me."_

"_Then what-Your eyes..." Paul backed away in horror, and I remembered the reddish tint that Stu's pupils developed when he was hungry. "Oh, my God. He turned you into a vampire."_

_Nothing could have hurt more than the way Paul was looking at me-like I was a _monster_ instead of his beloved Katie._

"_It's what I wanted, Paul." I'd come to realize that my relationship with Stu was based on lust and our connections to the supernatural, but Paul was the man I loved. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him. In desperation, I took his hands in mine and smiled at him hopefully. "Let me turn you. Then we can be together forever-"_

"_No."_

_He released my hands and, the next thing I knew, my fangs were in his neck._

_I heard Paul alternately shouting and begging with me to stop, but the sound was muffled-like I was underwater. I was also vaguely aware that he was trying in vain to push me away. Tasting blood never failed to relieve both physical and emotional pain. I could feel the pressure in my teeth, gums, and stomach melting away, and the overwhelming emotions that accompanied rejection were soon replaced with sheer ecstasy._

_Of course, I couldn't-and didn't-stop at just a taste. I kept feeding long after Paul's knees buckled and his head rolled back. As I cradled his limp body in his arms, the part of me that retained some humanity began to panic, but my hunger wouldn't allow me to dwell on his welfare. _

"Katarina_!"_

_Stu's voice cut through the closed front door and had the effect of a bucket of ice cold water poured over my head. I dropped Paul out of shock, only to snap out of my trance and catch him just before his head bounced against the hardwood floor._

_His eyelids were closed and he was so very pale…I went into hysterics, begging him to wake up between sobs._

_Oh, my God. I killed him. I killed my brother, my best friend, my first lover…But then I heard a faint heartbeat and I nearly screamed in relief._

I shuddered to think about what would have happened if Stu hadn't shown up at that very moment. Following his directions, I was able to heal Paul with my blood and take away his memories of that night.

It was probably for the best that Paul and I weren't in contact anymore. It hurt like hell, missing him, but at least Stu couldn't use _him _against me, too.

Thirteen years ago, Stu had given me a choice. He agreed to make me a vampire if-and only if-I still wanted it after completing my studies and pursuing acting for at least one year.

Five years later, I got my wish. At the time, I really believed that I was ready to give up my humanity and everything I loved about being human-Paul, my cats, acting, even witchcraft-forever. After all, what could be better than never dying, never aging, and spending eternity with a man who treated you like a goddess?

I knew now that the answer was _freedom. _Freedom was infinitely better.


	5. Hands of the Wicked

I'm so sorry for the delay! I meant to update sooner, but I caught a cold, my dog got sick-twice-and then I had a nasty case of writer's block. Anyway, thank you to my readers and a special thank you to Lay-Cool Lover for the review.

Oh, and the title of this chapter is also, of course, the title of Winter's theme.

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><p>I honestly had no idea what Stu wanted from me.<p>

He could have raped me repeatedly, or beaten me senseless, or killed me, but he did none of these things. He hadn't touched me once since locking me in the basement.

I contemplated Stu's last words to me: "Now you have plenty of time to reflect on your life." Perhaps he imagined that I would realize how cruel I'd been to him and come crawling back to beg his forgiveness…

Well, I'd rather spend an eternity starving in this bloody basement than confess to something I was innocent of.

Stu's approaching footsteps were nearly drowned out by animal noises-hissing and howling. It sounded like a cat to me. I stood up, grabbing the banister for support, and waited nervously at the bottom of the stairs.

"Perhaps I was a bit harsh on you last night," Stu told me. His expression came across as sincerely apologetic, but I was suspicious. I knew from experience that his acting ability rivaled my own. "That's why I brought you a peace offering." With an especially twisted smile, he dangled a whirlwind of an orange tabby in the air so I could see the cat through the bars. "I remembered how much you like cats."

"Not to _eat_!" I cried, revolted. "I'd rather go hungry, thank you very much."

Right away, I noticed a change in Stu's demeanor. His eyes narrowed, shadows crossed his face, and his grip tightened around the cat's neck until I heard a sickening crunching sound. Stu made sure I was watching him before he flung the limp animal against the nearest wall.

I really, _really_ hoped the poor thing hadn't suffered much.

"You're still an ungrateful bitch, I see. Nothing I do is ever good enough for you, is it, Katie?" His tone was so icy cold that it nearly caused me to shiver.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" I wish he'd stop talking in puzzles and just say exactly what was on his mind.

"I would have moved bloody mountains to make you happy, woman!" Stu's coldness had transformed into white-hot rage in a matter of seconds. "But, no, you couldn't move on from _him_-from _Paul_-so you tried to whore yourself out to the next best thing!"

"Not this again," I groaned. _Of course_. Drew Galloway. Our last fight-the one that caused me to run away from Stu-had been about Drew, too.

"Yes, 'this again'! I should have _staked you _for your betrayal, you wretched-"

"I already told you the truth," I interrupted, sensing that Stu was about to go off on another tirade and I wouldn't get another chance to talk for a long, long time. "He tried to rape me, Stuart-"

"Drew would never use force on a woman," Stu insisted. "He doesn't need to." He ran a hand through his hair and tossed his head. "Fortunately, Drew was enough of a gentleman to reject your advances-"

The idea of Drew being a gentleman was so absurd that I began to laugh, but I stopped when a hunger pang rippled through my stomach seconds later. I could smell the dead cat's blood and Angelina's, too, and it was driving me insane.

"Drew's the liar here, not me," I managed to gasp out.

"You don't know a bloody thing about morals, you slut!" Stu snarled. "First, you fucked your stepbrother, then you jumped into bed with me-and now, apparently, you've decided you're a lesbian. Why would my friends be off-limits to someone like you?" He scowled. Venom practically dripped off his every word. "Did you come on to Stephen and PJ, too? What about Layla?"

"No! I would _never_ cheat on you, Stu." There was no point in arguing that I considered the three of them nothing more than friends. Talking to Stu often felt a lot like banging my head against a brick wall.

"Shut up! You're not getting so much as a drop of blood until you convince me that you feel genuine remorse for your actions."

"I never got to tell you the whole story. You owe me that much."

Stu contemplated this for a few minutes. Just when I thought he was messing with me, he shocked me by agreeing.

"All right. Humor me. After all, we've got endless time on our hands."

"_Fancy meeting you here."_

_I turned at the sound of the familiar Scottish accent and smiled in spite of my headache. Stu had warned me about Drew's wicked ways, but he'd always been a perfect gentleman in my presence-perhaps because he knew Stu would murder him if he laid a finger on me. _

_The younger vampire, who was perhaps in his mid-twenties when he joined the ranks of the undead, was as attractive as he was charming. He was the same height as Stu, but had a slender build, long, chestnut brown hair that he usually wore in a ponytail, and intense blue eyes._

"_Yes, what an extraordinary coincidence. Going hunting?" I immediately recognized the red-tinted pupils that occurred in vampires whenever hunger set in. It was a subtle change, more burgundy than scarlet, but I'd learned to watch for signs of a vampire losing control. _

_I also knew-from experience-that being a witch meant my blood was as tempting as the blood of a regular human being._

"_You could say that." Drew cocked his head, smirking as he eyed me appreciatively. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"_

"_You might have mentioned it once or twice." I was used to men complimenting me on my "gothic" beauty, but, knowing Drew's reputation, I began to feel uncomfortable. "I'm afraid I don't have time to talk. I have a headache and Stu expects me to come straight home after rehearsals." The parking lot was otherwise empty of human life, but no one would have noticed me anyway because the position of my car blocked their view. I'd started to get a migraine in the middle of rehearsals-something that only seemed to happen to me whenever danger was near-and I was allowed to leave early. _

_I was so distracted by the idea of going home to a cup of custom blended herbal tea-spiked with a few healing drops of Stu's blood-and a long nap that I didn't realize Drew was the source of my warning pains._

_I'd only opened the driver's side door about an inch before he slammed it shut and spun me around. He put one arm on either side of my waist and his palms rested on the black metal of my vehicle's exterior. His smirk, which seemed to grow wider by the second, made my heart pound like a drum._

_I was trapped._

_Vulnerable._

"_What the hell, Drew?"_

"_You're too good for him," he murmured in response, and I could see the lust lurking behind his hunger. "He can't take care of you like I can. Let me show you…"_

"_Don't-" I was cut off when the vampire pressed his cold lips against mine. I foolishly tried to shove him away, which was about as effective as trying to move a brick wall with my bare hands. He ripped my shirt from the collar down and caressed my breasts through my bra. Worst of all, I could feel his desire for me through his pants and mine, too. _

_If I didn't do something soon, I was going to meet a gruesome end._

_Thinking quickly, I forced myself to become still as a statue until Drew inevitably shoved his tongue into my mouth-at which point I bit down. _Hard_. _

_Only then did he stop kissing me. He mumbled something that was might have been, "So, you like it rough?" and I responded by spitting his own blood into his face._

_Drew tried to wipe his eyes with one hand while grabbing my throat with the other. He was obviously trying to restrain me, not strangle me, but I was in pain and gasping for air. I fought back a wave of panic. If I swallowed even a drop of his blood by accident and he killed me…_

_He loosened his grip just enough to allow a welcome rush of air into my lungs. The gray shadows that had threatened to engulf me in permanent darkness mercifully faded away. Everything happened so quickly...The next thing I knew, I was lying across the backseat while Drew positioned himself over me._

"_I'll make you suffer, bitch," he vowed. His fangs scraped against my neck as he spoke, and I felt one of his hands undo the button of my pants and grab the zipper. __"I'll make you _beg _for_ death_." _

_Tears-of pain, of fear, of disgust-suddenly flooded my eyes. My witty, intelligent friend was gone. He had been possessed by a bloodthirsty, sex-crazed, possibly homicidal madman-and that madman must be stopped. _

_I remembered a useful spell I'd learned as a teenager, and I struggled to recite it in German despite my injured throat. At the same time, I visualized flames engulfing Drew's arms. _

_Drew's reflexes were so fast that he could have stripped me naked and been having his way with me already, but I think he wanted to prolong my torture. He had only gotten as far as removing my pants, and he had just begun to slide my underwear down my legs when the spell took effect._

_He didn't actually burst into flames, but the purpose was to make him suffer as opposed to catching fire. I knew the spell was working because he screamed and began to frantically slap at his arms._

"_Make it stop!" he cried, backing away from the car in a hurry. I felt a kind of morbid satisfaction as I watched him sink to the concrete in agony. _

"_Not until you promise never to touch me again," I hissed. I got dressed as quickly as I could and used my fingers to hold my torn shirt together over my exposed breasts._

"_I promise!" He made another horrible noise, sounding something like an animal with its leg caught in a trap-or, rather, what I imagined that would sound like. "I swear I'll leave you alone! Just make it fucking stop!" _

"_Forever?"_

"_Yes, forever!" he choked out in between shrieks._

_I reluctantly released him from the spell, but not until I'd locked myself in the car and driven halfway across town._

Stu clapped, slowly and deliberately, once I finished.

"Bravo. That was a brilliant performance, Katie. Your drama teachers would be so proud if they could see you now."

_Why did I even bother? _I wondered, my spirits sinking lower than ever. Stu was firmly on Drew's side and refused to believe a word I said.

"There are, however, some holes in your story-No, don't bother explaining," he cut me off when I opened my mouth. "I've heard enough of your lies for one day."

The next thing I knew, Stu was in the basement with me. There was a brief, violent struggle before he tore my clothes off, stripping me of everything but my black lace bra and matching panties. I tried to sit up, but he kicked me in the abdomen and pinned me to the floor with a large boot across my ribcage.

"There," he growled, staring down at me in triumph. I was horrified to discover that Stu's fangs were extended and he was practically salivating at the sight of me in nothing but my lingerie. "Now you actually look like the whore you are."


	6. Just a Taste

Thank you as always to Lay-Cool Lover for your wonderful review!

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><p>There was a time when I enjoyed the feeling of Stu's body against mine as he caressed and kissed me and hinted at dark pleasures still to come.<p>

This time, being in that situation made me feel physically ill.

"How is this possible?" he wondered out loud, as he stared into my eyes and traced a finger along the contours of my jaw. "How can I hate you and love you at the same time?"

"You don't know what love is, Stuart," I snarled. Clearly, both Stu and Drew had confused obsession with love. I would have pitied them had they not treated me so brutally.

Stu was not, by nature, given to fits of extreme emotion. It seemed I was the only one capable of bringing out his intensity-lust, rage, passion, despair. I watched, and felt, a shudder course through his body as he reigned in whatever he was feeling.

"Go on," I said softly. "Kiss me. Rape me. Do what you want to me, but just remember one thing: My heart will _never_ belong to you."

He turned away, squeezed his eyes shut, and sighed.

"This is all your fault, you know. I hold you responsible for every sin I've committed since you left me-and for what I'm about to do."

My eyes widened. "What do you-"

"Angelina! Come down here, love," he called out.

"Let her alone, Stu! She didn't do anything!" I protested.

"Angelina!" He cast a glance over his shoulder, then took out his frustration on me. "Why isn't the stupid bitch coming?"

"Don't you _dare_ insult her!" I snapped. Stu glared at me for a second before he slammed the back of my head against the concrete floor. I was immediately engulfed in darkness. I didn't know how long I'd been unconscious, but, through a migraine-level haze of pain, I was vaguely aware of my blood pooling under my head. Eventually, my vision shifted from nonexistent to a gray blur to normal. Stu still had me pinned to the floor, his blazing green eyes just inches from my face.

"Answer the bloody question!" he demanded the second I'd fully regained consciousness.

"Sh-She only responds to my commands."

"Then call her-or I'll go out there and break her pretty little neck, just like I did to that fucking cat."

I hesitated, but I relented in the end. I couldn't live with myself if I did something to cause Angelina's death.

"Stop feeling guilty, Katie." Stu grabbed a handful of my hair and jerked me to my feet. "It's not like she's going to remember any of this."

That was true, but it didn't do a damn thing to ease my conscience.

It took Angelina awhile, but we listened to her slow, shuffling footsteps while we waited. Stu was obviously irritated, but, then again, he hadn't asked me to insist that Angelina race to the basement…

I don't know how she navigated the stairs, but she descended them without a single misstep. My beautiful zombie paused in front of us, unseeing, unknowing. I was incredibly relieved to see that she was unharmed, although it appeared she had lost a few pounds since I'd last seen her.

"Angelina…" I whispered. She inclined her head in my direction but otherwise remained perfectly still.

"I had hoped we could have some fun-just the three of us," Stu confessed, "but then I realized that your girlfriend here is a zombie. I prefer my birds…lively, as I'm sure you recall."

Another dose of relief flooded my system. Stu wasn't interested in Angelina. I did indeed remember how excited I made him with my passionate responses during sex-moaning, screaming, biting at him, clawing his skin with my nails…A sharp pain that had nothing to do with hunger began to assault my stomach.

"Then why did you ask for her?"

"She's not for me, love." Stu smiled-a truly chilling expression. "She's my gift to you."

"_What_?"

Stu was right next to Angelina in a split second, and I was too shocked to react as I watched him lift her hand to his mouth and sink his fangs into her wrist. He smiled at me, and my own fangs came out involuntarily at the sight of his bloodstained teeth and mouth.

"What are you waiting for? Drink up."

"No," I moaned. I spun around and slapped a hand over my nose and mouth, but it was useless. The scent of fresh, _human_ blood filled my nostrils and made my stomach rumble and my teeth ache.

I was paralyzed by indecision. Should I grab Angelina and risk an escape attempt, or remain in the basement and resist temptation as long as possible?

"It's a shame to let perfectly good blood go to waste, isn't it?" Stu ran his tongue over the open bite mark he'd just made. His eyes drifted closed, as if he were savoring a fine wine. "Mmm. Delicious. I may not be able to stop at just a taste. Won't you join me, Katarina?"

I tried to tear my eyes away from Angelina's open wound, but it was impossible. My mouth watered at the thought of indulging after just a few days without feeding. Her blood would eliminate every ache and pain, including the pounding headache Stu had given me.

"No! I'm…not…hungry…" I trailed off as a crushing pressure formed around my arm and Stu pulled me close to him.

He shrugged. "A few drops, then." I struggled violently and in vain to escape, but I was no match for Stu's strength and determination. He shoved Angelina's wrist against my lips, and I found myself surrendering the second I tasted her blood.

_I'm sorry, Angelina, _I thought. After that, I stopped thinking-and caring-about anything except blood.

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><p>"I think you've had enough."<p>

I didn't want to acknowledge Stu's presence, but I had no choice when he took hold on my shirt collar and jerked me away from Angelina. I craved-and needed-a lot more blood than I'd just taken from her.

I couldn't help but gasp as I examined Angelina. She hadn't protested or moved in the slightest since I began feeding off her, but her skin had turned an unnatural off-white shade and her eyelids were half closed. I feared that Stu's tight grip on her upper arm was the only thing keeping her from collapsing.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you, love." I brought my own wrist to my extended fangs, but Stu did the same and pressed his bloody skin to her mouth before I had a chance to offer myself to her. Angelina, naturally, remained motionless.

"Give her permission." Stu was unable to deliver his request without rolling his eyes.

"Drink his blood, Angelina." I knew it was for her own good, but I hated that Stu's blood, not mine, would heal her. I watched and waited rather impatiently for the color to return to my girlfriend's face.

"Good as new," Stu declared after he stopped feeding her a minute or so later. "Send her back to the living room."

I did just that. I felt strange as I watched her climb the stairs out of the basement. While I was relieved to know that she was safe from my insatiable hunger, I also worried because she would soon be alone with Stu again.

He locked the door and turned to me with a wicked grin.

"Now I've got you _exactly_ where I want you."

I wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, but I knew instinctively that he wasn't referring to me being locked in a basement with him. Or, at least, that wasn't _all_ he was referring to.

"Imagine how Angelina would feel if she knew you'd turned her into a zombie."

_She'd hate me, _I thought, lowering my gaze to the floor so that Stu wouldn't see the distress his words had caused me.

"Now imagine how she'd feel if she became a vampire because of you."

"You wouldn't." My head snapped up and I glared daggers at him, but I knew he could see the terror in my eyes. I had always wanted Angelina to have a say in her fate. I never would have turned her into a zombie on purpose, and I most certainly wouldn't have made her a vampire without her permission.

"Try me, Katarina," he answered, his voice laced with a sinister undertone. "My blood should be out of her system in a day or two, but, should she die before then…And don't forget that her loyalty will be to me, the one who sired her-initially, at least."

That was true. The blood bond between us had been so strong at first that I'd often felt that Stu and I were a single person divided in two. It took about a year before my intense desire to please and be loved by him faded and another year for me to become an independent woman again.

I knew then that I had to swallow my pride and lower myself to committing whatever disgusting, humiliating acts Stu demanded of me.

"Promise me, Stuart," I said quietly. "Promise me you won't turn her if I obey your…your every desire." I almost choked on the words as I spoke them. If Angelina hadn't been in danger, I would have fought Stu to the death, but defying him now meant losing her forever. It was too high of a price to pay.

Stu was surprisingly gentle as he took my face between his hands. He kissed me and used his tongue to delicately remove the excess blood smeared around my lips.

"You have my word," he said solemnly, eyes shining.


	7. Remember Me?

Thanks again to Lay-Cool Lover for the review and thank you to my other readers, too.

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><p>"The whole experience will be more enjoyable if you drink my blood first."<p>

"How could I possibly enjoy being raped?" I wanted to add yet another broken nose to Stu's list of injuries. He was the most insensitive and sexist man I'd ever met.

"'Rape' is such an ugly word. Besides, as I recall, you agreed to obey my 'every desire'-and it is my desire for you to taste my blood." He smiled as he offered me his wrist. "If it makes you feel better, our blood bond won't last long."

Damn it! I had walked right into his trap and had no way of escaping without risking Angelina's mortality. So, I decided to compromise by swallowing just one mouthful of his blood. I hadn't tasted it since he'd turned me, and, knowing what I did about the connection between a vampire and his or her maker, I was afraid of the side effects.

It didn't take long for those side effects to kick in. Minutes later, I found myself looking at Stu through new eyes.

I wanted Stu with a passion that I hadn't felt since my first year of being a vampire. I wanted him to make love to me for hours and then wrap me in his arms afterward. I wanted to hear him say he loved me and call me beautiful and sexy.

I stood on tiptoe and pulled his face closer to mine so that I could kiss him. His lips were chapped and tasted of Angelina's blood. I deepened the kiss and pushed my tongue between his lips, eager to explore. His fangs came out in arousal, as did mine.

"We don't have much time," he murmured once the kiss had finally ended. Excitement and surprise battled for dominance in his expression. "You'll hate me again soon enough."

"I could never hate you." I flashed him a coy smile and I reached around to unclasp my bra, but Stu shook his head.

"Bedroom," he instructed. "I refuse to have sex on a concrete floor."

Giddy anticipation surged through my body as Stu took my hand and led me up to his bedroom. Once there, we couldn't get our clothing off fast enough. He swept me up in his arms and carried me to the bed like we were newlyweds.

Seconds later, we were reduced to a mess of tangled limbs and naked flesh. I responded to Stu's kisses and bites with some of my own, and his increasingly frenzied thrusting soon had me moaning in ecstasy and digging my nails into his skin. I screamed and sunk my fangs into his throat when I finally released all of the sexual tension that had built up inside of me.

Stu collapsed on top of me with a satisfied groan. We rested for a few minutes, then repeated the process again-and again. Being able to have sex repeatedly without tiring was another benefit to being a vampire.

"I love you, Stuart Alexander Bennett," I whispered after we had finished. I rested my head against his chest, directly above his silent heart, and smiled. I felt so blissful and at peace that the world could have been ending and I wouldn't have cared.

"I love you, too, Katie." He placed a kiss on top of my head, but there was an almost wistful quality to his voice.

"You should wear your hair like this more often." I tugged affectionately at one of his disheveled curls. "It makes you look younger."

Stu smirked. "I think I look pretty good for my age." He was two-hundred-and-sixty-seven years old, but he had died when he was only thirty-one and hadn't aged a day since.

"You do." I grinned back at him and planted an impulsive kiss on his nose. Stu rewarded me with a thrilling and lingering kiss on the lips.

Eventually, we retreated to the bathroom and showered together-which, of course, took twice as long as it normally would had I bathed solo. My clothes had been shredded when Stu ripped them off of me, but my lingerie was still intact and Stu donated one of his T-shirts to me. He apologized for bringing me back to the basement, but I shrugged it off. I didn't care where I was as long as we were together.

We sat on the concrete and talked for awhile, but I noticed that he became somewhat pensive as the night wore on. My own high spirits took a nosedive, too. The happiness I'd felt earlier dissolved into hatred towards both Stu and myself.

I knew his blood had lost its magical hold over me when he tried to slip an arm around my shoulder and I immediately shoved him away.

"Fuck off, Stu. You disgust me."

I was prepared for him to lose his temper and strike me, but I didn't expect what happened next. He merely turned to me with a resigned look on his face-as if he'd anticipated my mood swings.

"Choose your words carefully, doll. Remember, Angelina's fate depends on you."

Oh, God. Angelina. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten all about her, but Stu had distracted me for hours.

"I'm sorry." My tone remained cold and distant, in spite of my attempt to sound remorseful. "I didn't mean to say those things." I had intended to keep my thoughts to myself, but I didn't always act rationally when I was angry."I just want to be alone right now-if it's all right with you," I added hastily.

Stu nodded and began to head upstairs, only to pause at the bottom of the steps and turn around.

"You couldn't help yourself, Katarina," he reassured me. He seemed reluctant to leave, but he climbed the staircase nonetheless and locked the door behind him.

Once Stu was gone, I screamed and pounded my fists against the concrete floor until I was exhausted, then curled up into a ball and sobbed.

_You have nothing to feel guilty about, _insisted a voice inside my head. _You did what you had to do to protect Angelina. _But, no matter how much I rationalized my behavior, I couldn't help feeling dirty and ashamed. I wanted to jump back into the shower, get the water as hot as I could, and scrub my skin until it bled.

What the hell was wrong with me? How could I actually _enjoy _having sex with Stu after everything he'd done? My lapse in judgment was obviously caused by drinking Stu's blood and temporarily renewing our bond, but I was terrified that a part of me still had feelings for him.

Angelina didn't love me-not in this lifetime, anyway. We'd been soul mates through many previous incarnations, but she became a zombie just as she started to comprehend the depth of our connection. We had never even gone on a date, let alone had sex. And, even if I _could_ restore her to normal, she would probably choose to have nothing more to do with me.

Stu, on the other hand, was infatuated with me. We had incredible chemistry in and out of bed, yet that passion could turn to violence in a heartbeat. As long as I played by Stu's rules, we got along just fine-but, when I inevitably rebelled, he wouldn't hesitate to put me in my place using any means necessary. I would always be walking on eggshells around him.

And then there was Paul. I'd never really gotten over my stepbrother, and, after the attack, Stu convinced me that it was in everyone's best interests if I avoided contact with him. Paul would very likely live out his natural lifespan without ever seeing or hearing from me again.

My love life was, to put it bluntly, a fucking mess.

I cried until my eyes were so dry that I could no longer squeeze out a single tear. I kept trying to push today's events to the back of my mind, but it was impossible. Just thinking about making love with Stu nearly caused my cold skin to incinerate.

_It's an illusion, _I reminded myself. _I don't really love Stu or want to sleep with him. _What happened to me was no different than what happened to someone who'd had a love spell put on them. The confusion I felt now was nothing more than the last remaining bit of Stu's influence over me, and that, too, would soon evaporate…

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><p>"<em>How could you?"<em>

"_Angelina?" I was surprised to see her standing in the open basement doorway-and beyond shocked to hear her voice. She had lost the ability to speak since becoming a zombie, which must mean…I didn't know how it happened, nor did I care at the moment. I was so overjoyed that I raced up the staircase to throw my arms around her._

_She used her left hand to push me away-she was stronger than ever, and I had to grab the banister to keep from tumbling down the stairs-and hissed. That's when I noticed her fangs and the thin trail of blood that started on her lower lip and stained her chin. I froze within a few feet of her, horrified. _

_Angelina-_my_ Angelina-now belonged to Stu._

"_Oh, Angelina…" I moaned. I was going to _murder_ our maker when I got a chance. I had done everything he'd asked of me and the bastard killed her anyway!_

"You_ did this to me, you crazy bitch!" Angelina screamed. Her voice was so shrill that it temporarily damaged my hearing. "_You_ made me a zombie, _you_ let that bloodsucking psycho rape me, and it's because of _you_ that I'm a freakin' vampire right now!" She emphasized each "you" by jabbing a finger into my sternum. That's when I realized her other arm was behind her back. There was something significant about that fact, but I was too upset to take a guess._

"_I-I'm sorry," I stuttered, overwhelmed by all the bombshells she'd just dropped on me. "I never meant for any of this to happen-"_

"_You're never going to hurt me again, Katie." Her tone had become ice cold without warning. She narrowed her furious blue eyes as she brought her right arm in front of her and held up a sharp wooden instrument for me to examine. I knew what was coming, but I was so stunned that all I could do was stand there, paralyzed, and wait for my death._

"_Don't do this, Angelina," I pleaded. "Please-"_

"_Never again!" she shrieked. Then, with a twisted smile, she drove the stake through my heart. _

I woke up screaming.

Stu was by my side in a flash. He helped me into a sitting position and pulled me into his arms. Because I was in a panic and he acted so much like the old Stu, I was instantly comforted by his presence as opposed to being repulsed.

"Calm down, love. It was just a nightmare." Stu stroked my hair and my trembling muscles began to relax.

"It felt so real," I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief. I managed to resist the temptation to glance down at my chest for signs of an injury. "Angelina…?"

"She's asleep on the sofa." Stu carefully released his hold on me and retrieved a pillow and a navy blue blanket that had landed on the stairs. He had obviously brought them for me, but I had a difficult time wrapping my head around the idea. I raised an eyebrow as he dropped the pillow next to me and made a kind of sleeping bag by folding the blanket in half on the floor.

"I thought you might sleep better if you were comfortable," he explained.

"Thank you," I said stiffly and after some hesitation. I wanted to ask what he expected of me in return for his generosity, but then I thought better of it. I rarely saw this side of Stu anymore, so I should be grateful that he saw fit to show me kindness for a change.

Because Stu was watching, I slipped between the folds of the blanket and rested my head on the pillow, even though I had no intention of going back to sleep. I was touched by his apparently sincere concern about my welfare, yet extremely suspicious of his motives at the same time.

"I can stay if you'd like," he offered.

"I'm all right. Really." I gave him a brave smile in hopes that he'd get the message and leave me alone again. Being so close to Stu when he was in a good mood was messing with my head. I needed to think clearly-to remember all the cruel things he'd done to Angelina and me-or else he'd break my heart all over again.

"Let me know if you need anything." Stu sounded almost hopeful, as if he were eager to run errands for me.

I nodded warily and closed my eyes to fool him into thinking I was falling asleep. The sound of his retreating footsteps was music to my ears, because I worried that I might have lost control of my emotions again had he stayed.


	8. Making Plans

I am very grateful, as always, to Lay-Cool Lover for reviewing the last chapter. Enjoy!

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><p>I was happy to see Stu the next time he visited me, although that might have had something to do with the plastic bag of blood in his hand.<p>

"I thought you might still be hungry." He tossed the bag to me and I caught it effortlessly.

"You thought right." I felt a rush of anxiety as I opened his offering. What if Stu had tainted it with some of his own blood?

_Would that be such a bad thing? _I wondered in spite of myself. Yesterday, I might have been as high as a person on heroin or cocaine, but I hadn't felt so happy and so alive in years…

A quick sniff revealed no traces of vampire blood, which both smelled and tasted different than either human or animal blood. There was no hint of anything toxic, either, such as silver.

Stu looked disappointed by my hesitation, but he kept whatever thoughts he had to himself. It didn't take me long to polish off the contents of the entire bag.

"Thank you." My gratitude was genuine, and that put a smile on Stu's face.

"Don't mention it. May I keep you company for awhile?"

I nodded, too startled to object. Since taking me captive, Stu had always made me comply with his demands by either using force or threatening Angelina. I couldn't help but wonder what had caused such a dramatic change in his behavior.

_Don't trust him,_ my intuition warned me. _This is just an act._

Probably, but I was content to play along. Being locked up with no one to talk to got awfully lonely after awhile.

Stu sat down on the stairs and stretched his long legs out in front of him. I appreciated that he was keeping his distance.

"I was thinking about yesterday…" he began.

"Stuart, don't-"

"Please hear me out." I nodded and gave him my full attention. "Not that I'm complaining about the sex-not at all-but…" A remorseful look erased the smile that had begun to form. I'd be lying if I said it didn't tug at my heartstrings just a little. "It was wrong of me to manipulate your emotions like that, Katie, and I apologize."

"I accept your apology," I said softly, once I'd recovered from hearing those words escape Stu's mouth. It was incredibly difficult to get him to apologize for anything, so this was either the real thing or some damned good acting. Either way, I wanted to avoid provoking Stu because I feared he would take his anger out on Angelina.

"You must believe me when I say I'm still in love with you," he continued, "and all I ever wanted was for you to love me back."

I wasn't sure what possessed me to climb the staircase and plant a kiss on Stu's lips, but I couldn't help myself. Maybe it was because he looked so miserable and lonely at that moment. Even more strangely, I was overjoyed when he responded. He ended the kiss with great reluctance and turned away.

"I hope that wasn't done out of pity."

"Pity had nothing to do with it, I assure you. I wanted…" I stopped to inhale a deep, calming breath before continuing-not that I _needed_ to breathe anymore, but old habits die hard. "I wanted to know if my feelings for you were real."

"Are they?" Stu's hopeful expression bore an uncanny resemblance to that of a teenage boy who had just asked his crush out on a date.

"There's only one way to find out." My brain had stopped giving directions. I was just a confused, conflicted mess of hormones and memories of happier times. Guiltily, I pushed aside any thoughts of Angelina and our shared past. "Make love to me again, Stu, but don't give me any of your blood this time. That way, I'll know if it was the bond or my heart."

Nothing else I said or did could have shocked him more. His entire face went blank for the longest time. I could almost hear the gears turning in his mind. Surely he thought he'd misunderstood, or I was playing a trick on him…Eventually, his features relaxed into a pleased smile.

"I'll be gentle," he promised, standing up.

"What if I don't want you to be gentle?" Did I actually say that out loud? How embarrassing.

Stu smirked. "I can play rough, too. Just ask."

We immediately got to work removing our clothing. Afterward, Stu carried me over to the blanket and carefully placed me on top of it. I had a feeling he was afraid to take me upstairs in case I tried to escape.

Even after all these years, and even after the hell he'd put me through, the man could still drive me crazy with lust. He knew exactly where I enjoyed being touched, how fast to go, and the right amount of force to use.

"So, what's the verdict?" he asked after we both climaxed, rolling over onto his side and propping himself up on one elbow so he could study my reaction.

"That…That was _incredible_…" was all I could say. I didn't feel the same all-consuming need for Stu's touch that I had yesterday, of course, but it was still a heavenly experience.

Stu's trademark smirk returned. "I quite agree, but…" His smugness was soon masked by anxiety. "Do you still love me? Could you?"

"I…I'm not sure," I admitted honestly. I shifted my gaze away from him to avoid his eyes. "I don't know who you are anymore. You're cruel to me one second and then you show me kindness the next."

Sometimes, I almost believed that Stu was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde come to life. He was a passionate lover and a caring friend-except for when he transformed into a monster capable of astonishing brutality.

He sighed. "I regret using violence against you, Katie. I never intended to, but…I thought you might reconsider trying to escape if you were afraid of the consequences." I met his eyes again, and I found myself wanting to believe in the sincerity of the anguish lurking within those emerald depths. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing you all over again."

"Oh, Stu…" Getting a rare glimpse of vulnerability from him brought tears to my eyes. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all…Maybe he just got overwhelmed by, and sometimes lost control of, the heightened emotions that affect all vampires...

_Or maybe he's just playing you like a violin,_ argued the voice of reason.

"What happened to us, love?" he wondered out loud, pulling me closer.

_Drew Galloway happened, _I replied silently. Stu had shown traces of his dark side during our many arguments over the years-he disapproved of my clothing choices and innocent flirting with other men, I accused him of being jealous and possessive-but we always kissed and made up. He had never resorted to raising his voice, let alone physical violence, until I told him that his best friend tried to rape me. Suddenly, my behavior and taste in clothing were evidence that I was a wicked woman who couldn't be trusted.

"We've both changed, Stuart." _One of us for the better and one of us for the worst. _

"Give me another chance. Please." That was another word I rarely heard him say. He tilted his face toward mine and stared at me intently. "Let me prove to you that I deserve your love."

The epiphany that followed struck me like a bolt of lightning: Stu was exactly like the abusive boyfriends I'd seen in movies and on television shows. They were the kind of men who called their girlfriends names and beat them, then offered flowers and an apology the next day. They swore they would never, ever do it again.

The women always fell for their act-and the abuse _always_ continued.

Sometimes, it even escalated to murder.

Stu had killed before. He'd done it as a human when he was fighting for the British Army during the Revolutionary War. He had also killed a few people by accident as a newborn vampire. Then he murdered the man who had stabbed him and left him alone to bleed to death…Oh, and he had also broken my neck in order to turn me, and I couldn't forget about that poor, innocent cat…

I shuddered. I was lying in the arms of a murderer-a man who wouldn't hesitate to kill Angelina and even me if I pushed him too far.

"Well, Katarina?" Stu's thick accent penetrated my thoughts and forced me to make a decision. "What do you say?"

"I suppose that's only fair," I agreed, implying that I'd been busy contemplating Stu's words. He released his hold on me and a flicker of relief crossed his face. With a smile, I placed my hand on his chest, directly over his heart. "You know, I wouldn't have slept with you if I believed the old Stu-the man I fell in love with-was gone forever."

"So, there's still hope." His lips twitched into a smile of his own.

I nodded and snuggled against him. I had begun to formulate what I thought was a rather brilliant plan. My magic might not be capable of saving me, but I _was_ a former actress with years of training and experience to call upon.

"There's always hope."

He ran his fingers lovingly through my hair and we lapsed into a comfortable silence. I was grateful that vampires couldn't read each others' minds because it enabled me to work on my plan.

In order to gain my freedom and Angelina's, I must convince Stu that he had earned both my love and my trust again. I needed him to believe that I had completely lost interest in escaping so I could use the element of surprise against him.

I also had to convince myself that I wasn't actually falling for him.

This was going to be the most difficult role I had ever played.


	9. Treasures

Thanks again to Lay-Cool Lover for reviewing the last chapter. Enjoy!

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><p><em>I was back home-my adopted home of London-and I was standing on a balcony. <em>

_A light breeze ruffled my hair as I inhaled the cold, damp air. The night sky was pitch black and filled with more twinkling stars than I ever remembered seeing here._

_I heard Stu come up behind me and felt him wrap his strong, muscular arms around my waist. With a smile, I closed my eyes and melted into his embrace._

"_Are you happy, love?"_

"_The happiest I've ever been." I couldn't remember why I'd run away from him in the first place. Stu was the best friend, the sexiest man, and the most exciting lover I could ever hope for._

"_Are you sure? Turn around, Katie." I opened my eyes and followed his instructions-and I nearly screamed. Stu looked smart in a long, black coat with a red rose pinned to his lapel and a pale blue dress shirt, but it was his position-dropped to one knee and holding an open black velvet box-that got most of my attention. Inside the box was a gold ring with a diamond setting that must have cost a fortune. Stu's eyes shined as he beamed at me._

"_Oh, my God…" I put a hand to my mouth and stared at him in disbelief. I was tempted to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming. _

"_I know we already share a blood bond, but I also want you to be my wife for all of eternity." He smiled, but I could tell that he was trying hard to conceal his nervousness. "Will you marry me, Katarina?"_

_I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I loved the idea of being Mrs. Stuart Bennett, so why was I hesitating? Shock, I guess. I swallowed and tried again, but someone else beat me to it._

"_Her answer is 'yes.'"_

"Angelina_?" I gasped. Her voice floated up to me from the ground below. I peered over the edge of the balcony and found her standing in the garden. Angelina's arms were folded across her chest and her eyes glared daggers at me. _

"_I thought we were soul mates, but I guess not. Whatever. It doesn't matter. You've clearly moved on, so go ahead and say yes already."_

_I blinked back tears. "You don't understand-"_

_She rolled her eyes. "Uh, yeah, I do. I was just a toy-a pretty little plaything to kill time with until you found Mr. Right."_

"_No! Angelina, I-"_

"_Shut the hell up! I'm not done talking." Angelina clenched and unclenched her fists several times. "I loved you, Katie. I fucking _loved_ you and you _broke my heart_!" She pointed at Stu, who had gotten to his feet when Angelina began to scream at me. "You two losers deserve each other. I hope you're _very_ happy together." My own heart cracked into a million pieces at the sight of her storming towards the gate._

_I called her name and tried to follow her, but Stu restrained me. When I sought consolation from him, his expression hardened and he shook me roughly by the shoulders. My tears became full-fledged sobs._

"_Stop crying over that trollop," he ordered. "You should be celebrating right now. After all, we _are_ getting married."_

"_I never agreed to marry you!" I protested. I sure as hell wouldn't go through with it _now_…Stu pulled me against his body and, although I screamed and thrashed around like a wild animal, it was clear that I wasn't going anywhere until he chose to release his grip. _

_He smirked down at me. "Who said you had a choice, sweetheart?" Stu caressed my cheek with one hand, and I was about to spit in his face when the creaky gate distracted me. I turned just in time to see Drew enter the garden and approach Angelina._

"_Don't touch her!" I shrieked. I struggled even more violently to get away from Stu. Angelina might despise me right now, but I still cared about her-and I wouldn't allow that bastard anywhere _near_ her._

_Then something strange happened: Angelina smiled at Drew and quickly closed the distance between them. He put his arms around her and kissed her-and, after a moment's hesitation, she returned the kiss…with enthusiasm._

"_No," I whispered. My stomach churned in disgust and I felt dizzy. "No!"_

"_I set them up together," Stu explained. "Aren't they a lovely couple?"_

_I didn't bother to give my opinion. Neither my vocal cords nor my legs seemed to work anymore. All I could do was watch in horror as my soul mate made out with the man who had tried to rape me._

_After what seemed like hours, they finally stopped kissing and focused their attention on me. Drew grinned wolfishly, fangs extended, and Angelina smirked. _

"_Looks like you're not the only one who's moved on," she said smugly and rather breathlessly. _

I woke up on the floor of Stu's basement. The navy blue blanket covered me and my head was resting on a soft pillow. I could feel the weight of Stu's body pressing against my back and he had draped his right arm over my shoulder. He began to stir when he sensed that I was awake.

"Another nightmare?"

"Yes, unfortunately." I never thought I'd be relieved to awaken inside the prison Stu had created for me, but I was.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." With a start, I remembered the plan. Waking up naked next to my sexy ex-boyfriend-also naked-didn't exactly help me focus on all the bad things about him. Mercifully, both of us would have to get dressed soon.

"In that case…I'll be right back." Stu pulled his clothes on and kissed me on the cheek before trotting up the staircase. A minute later, the basement door swung open and he smiled down on me. "Want to come upstairs?"

"Upstairs?" Had I heard him correctly? Stu hadn't allowed me out of the basement since he took me to his bedroom and fucked me senseless…

_Do _not _go there, Katie, _my brain scolded me. I mentally closed the door on those memories.

"It's morning," he pointed out.

"Oh. Sure." I quickly slipped back into my lingerie and tugged on the T-shirt Stu had given me. We both knew that fleeing the house into the sunshine would prove fatal-and I wasn't a suicide risk, either, because I cared too much about Angelina to leave her behind. There was no harm in letting me roam around for a bit.

Besides, I wanted to get my mind off that dreadful nightmare.

Since I was high on Stu's blood the last time I'd been elsewhere in the house, I had only hazy memories of what it looked like. The inside turned out to be almost as run-down as the outside, with minimal furniture and art.

Stu seemed to know what I wanted without asking and he led me into the living room. My beautiful zombie was lying on the sofa, eyes open but not focused on either of us. She was in 'sleep mode,' as I liked to call it.

Good. As much as I wanted the old Angelina back, I was scared of how she was going to act towards me. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to erase the mental image of her kissing Drew, then turned my attention to Stu's movie collection.

"What would you like to do now?" he asked.

I shrugged and told him that I didn't know, but I was already engrossed in my task. Although Stu obviously hadn't invested any time or money in improving the interior, his home was stocked with music, movies, books, and a huge flat screen TV that surely had cable or satellite. Stu had an affinity for British sports that rivaled that of most human fans, and I knew he would go crazy without access to his home teams.

As I perused the film choices, I was surprised, delighted, and a little creeped out to see most of my favorites represented. Stu and I often had radically different tastes in entertainment.

"Movie marathon?" he suggested with a smirk. I could feel a grin spread across my face and I nodded. I liked the idea of having a normal life again-even if it was all just a temporary illusion. I guided Angelina into a sitting position and sat next to her. Stu took the spot to my left. I was impressed that the sofa could hold all three of us comfortably, especially given Stu's massive frame.

Most of my picks were from the horror genre. After we watched the Val Lewton classic _Cat People_, I asked Stu if he'd ever met any shape-shifters in real life. I certainly hadn't-at least, not that I knew of.

"Remember PJ?" he responded.

I rolled my eyes. "Werewolves don't count since they can only turn on a full moon." PJ Lloyd was a mutual friend of ours from university. Stu and I had nicknamed him the "Cape Town werewolf" upon discovering his hometown and supernatural identity. He was someone else I had lost touch with over the years and missed dearly.

"Close enough," Stu argued with a grin.

"That would be a 'no.'" I selected _The Crow _and popped it into the DVD player.

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><p>There were moments when I wanted to pinch myself to check if I was dreaming. This was definitely one of them.<p>

Watching movies with Stu and Angelina was a surreal experience. Both of them were mere shells of their former selves: The spirited, opinionated woman I'd loved for centuries had become a zombie, and the man who had taken sadistic pleasure in torturing me now acted tender as a lamb.

I was living in the moment and enjoying it. Who knew when Angelina might regain her abilities to speak and think or when Stu would unleash his inner psychopath again? For now, at least, I was happy and safe-and that was a refreshing change of pace.

After sitting through four movies in a row, Stu seemed to be getting a bit restless, so I suggested we take a break. He agreed, but he clearly had something up his sleeve, because there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Wait here. I've got a present for you."

"Okay…" A present? Well, my birthday _had_ been a little over two weeks ago…Stu immediately disappeared upstairs. I could hear him rummaging around in what I assumed to be a drawer and then slowly making his way downstairs and back to the living room.

_He's just trying to buy my affection, _I thought cynically, but I was determined to graciously accept whatever Stu offered me. I decided it was a good way to "prove" that I was starting to trust him again.

"My father was a wealthy man, Katarina." I heard Stu long before I saw him approach me. I spun around and watched as he stopped in front of me and held out a cupped hand. I caught a glimpse of something bright red inside. "He gifted my mother with expensive jewelry, and she wished to pass it on to her daughter or daughters someday…She had only sons, however.

"My brother and I were given the jewelry in hopes that we would share it with our wives," continued Stu. There was a distinctly wistful quality both in his voice and written on his face. "I meant to give you this much sooner, love, but you disappeared on me before I could."

He uncurled his fingers, allowing me to get a good look at the jewelry he was referring to. I didn't normally wear jewelry, but this piece, with its combined monetary and sentimental value, was stunning. It was a gold necklace with a flower-shaped pendant made up of garnets and diamonds.

Stu smiled almost shyly. "Happy belated birthday, Katie."

"Oh, Stu…I couldn't…" I protested, afraid that I might accidentally break something so old and delicate.

"Please. Consider it a token of my esteem-or friendship, if you prefer. May I?" He gently turned me around and, using one hand to lift my long hair out of the way, placed the necklace around my neck and carefully fastened the clasp. I was startled to realize that his hands were a little shaky.

"It's beautiful. Thank you." I took the pendant between my fingers and studied it as I spoke. I was otherwise at a loss for words. This was what you gave to the one you really, truly loved-not someone you just used for sex.

It was the kind of gift I should be giving to Angelina, or-in a perfect world-the kind of gift she would surprise me with. Not that either of us had eighteenth century heirlooms lying around, but…I suddenly felt uncomfortable taking such an expensive treasure from Stu when I didn't know how I felt about him from one minute to the next.

"I hope those are happy tears."

"They are," I lied. I blinked and quickly plastered on a smile before I looked up at Stu, who was beaming. The sincere happiness radiating from him only made me feel worse.


	10. Awakening

Thank you, xj0j0x and Lay-Cool Lover, for reviewing the last chapter. I also want to thank everyone else who has read this story.

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><p>I wanted to touch the necklace yet again, but I forced myself to resist. It was so fragile, and I would feel terribly guilty if anything happened to it.<p>

Then I remembered the nightmare I'd had earlier, and my heart would have started pounding if it could still beat. I had dreamed of Stu giving me fancy jewelry made of gold and diamonds, and now I was wearing a valuable gold, diamond, and garnet necklace that he had bestowed upon me.

As a witch, premonitions sometimes came to me while I slept. I desperately hoped this was a sign of my magic returning.

"You've been awfully quiet today." Stu returned with two steaming mugs of microwaved blood and handed one to me, then sank into the only available couch space. "I hope my gift didn't make you uncomfortable."

"Oh, no. Not at all," I assured him in between sips. "I'm just a little tired." I feigned what I thought was a rather convincing yawn. "I don't know how you can stay up all day." Vampires didn't _need _sleep in the same way human beings did, but the daylight hours drained our energy, so it was easier to just sleep until sunset. I wasn't exactly lying to Stu-just omitting some of the truth.

"I've had over two hundred years of practice," Stu reminded me. "You're welcome to use my bed if you'd like to take a nap."

"Thanks, but I'd rather put off sleep as long as possible." I dreaded falling victim to yet another nightmare. Besides, I didn't want to waste my last few hours of precious freedom before Stu inevitably locked me in the basement again.

"These nightmares you've been having…Am I in them?"

My hand twitched, causing the mug to rattle a bit as I set it down on the table. I had to turn away before I could answer.

"Sometimes." He didn't need to know every minute detail-and he certainly didn't need to hear Drew's name slip past my lips again.

"I'm sorry, Katie," Stu said contritely. He lightly squeezed my hand. "This is all my fault. I wish I'd never given you a reason to fear me."

I squeezed his hand back. "That's in the past now, Stu." I meant it, too. Dredging up every wicked thing Stu had ever done to me would only provoke his temper, although I might reflect on those memories whenever I started to forget what he was capable of.

My words brought visible relief. "You know, not many birds would give me another chance after everything I've done."

I smirked at him. "I'm not like most other women, remember?"

"Thank God for that!"

Stu made a disgusted face after he knocked back his own cup of blood like a shot of whiskey.

"I'll never get used to the bagged stuff," he declared. "It's lacking a certain something."

"Flavor? Warmth? Body?" I suggested, taking another drink. Although I, too, preferred fresh human blood, I wasn't exactly a purist in that department. Animal blood and "the bagged stuff" were perfectly acceptable substitutes in a pinch.

He nodded. "All of the above. So, what do you want to do now? We still have a few more hours until sunset."

"I…don't know," I replied uncertainly. I knew I should make a decision soon, though, because letting Stu call the shots might be foolish. He'd probably want to have wild, animalistic sex in every single room of the house.

"Why don't you tell me a story?"

"A story?" I didn't like the sound of that.

He nodded. "I won't make you uncomfortable by asking how she became a zombie, but I've always wondered how you and your little bird got together."

My relationship with Angelina was _not_ a topic I wished to discuss in detail with Stu. I decided to give him just enough information to satisfy his curiosity and nothing more.

"She was the singer in one of my favorite bands. I saw them in concert and I approached her after the show. We started talking, became friends, and…" I wasn't sure how to finish the sentence without revealing more than I was comfortable sharing. Everything I'd just confessed was true, except for Angelina's band being one of my favorites-I was only interested in them because I'd recognized my soul mate's eyes on a flier, although the music turned out to be quite good-and the part about us being friends.

"And?"

"And things went terribly wrong after that." I was determined to remain somewhat evasive on the topic of Angelina. Discovering that we had been together for centuries would only infuriate Stu after I'd promised to give him another chance and had accepted his precious gift.

"Maybe someday you'll get your powers back and I can meet the _real_ Angelina," Stu remarked.

"Maybe." I leaned my head against his shoulder and sighed. Restoring Angelina's humanity was the right thing to do-assuming I could do it-but there was always a high price to pay in exchange for opening Pandora's box.

I just had no way of knowing whether her reaction would bring us together again or drive me right into Stu's arms.

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><p>Music had always been an important part of my life, and, of course, it was responsible for reuniting Angelina and me in this lifetime. That's why I readily agreed when Stu suggested we pass the time by playing some of his favorite bands and artists.<p>

It also beat trading painful stories about the past.

We alternated between listening in silence and teasing each other about our individual tastes in music. I knew I was walking a dangerously thin line between acting and believing, but Stu's behavior lately made it easy to forget the evil he had committed.

Everything was fine for awhile, but then my stomach issued a painful warning that simply couldn't be ignored for long. I returned the CD I'd been holding to its case, shut off the stereo, and looked to Stu for assistance.

"I'm still hungry. Do you have any more blood?"

He glanced at the clock and frowned. "Sorry, doll, but we finished the last bag earlier. They don't really satisfy my hunger, so I went through our supply already," he explained with great embarrassment. "You'll have to feed off of Angelina until we get more."

"I can't." I shuddered as I recalled how pale and weak Angelina had been after the last time I drank her blood. I couldn't do that to her-not again, and certainly not so soon.

"Don't worry. I'll stop you if you begin to lose control," he promised, patting me on the shoulder.

Well, it was either take a small amount now or starve until my appetite was insatiable…Reluctantly, I got to my feet and crossed the room to Angelina. I held her wrist to my lips and indulged on the divine red nectar until Stu tugged firmly at my arm. Afterward, I carefully examined Angelina. She looked perfectly fine to me, but I gave her some of my own blood to be on the safe side.

No one could have predicted what happened next.

I was wiping the excess blood from my mouth when I saw Angelina blink. To my amazement, she turned her head slowly from side to side, looking first at Stu, who sat close by on the sofa, and then turning her wide-eyed gaze on me. I glanced at Stu out of the corner of my eye and saw his jaw drop slightly.

Then Angelina began to scream-and kept screaming. She was on her feet in a heartbeat and froze halfway between us.

"Calm down, Angelina." I spoke to her in a low, soothing voice, but she was panic-stricken, and, therefore, difficult to compel. Angelina did manage to quiet down long enough to hear my words, although she regarded me with a heartbreaking combination of fear and suspicion. She also kept sneaking nervous glances at Stu. "It's all right-"

"What did you just call me?" she demanded shrilly. She stumbled backward several feet in the direction of the front door. "I don't know who you people are or what you did to me, but…Just stay the fuck away from me-or else!"

"We're not going to hurt you," I reassured her, but she continued to back away from us. "We-I mean, I-just want to talk."

"Yeah, right," Angelina scoffed. Throwing a quick look over her shoulder, she spun on her heel and bolted for the door. Stu blocked her path a second later and she collided with him. The impact knocked the wind out of her and caused her to land against the hardwood floor in a sitting position.

Stu took hold of one arm and pulled her to her feet. Although her back was to me and I couldn't see her face, it was easy to imagine the astonished expression she must be wearing.

"What the fuck? Let me go, asshole!" Angelina squirmed and twisted so violently that I anticipated a few fractures.

"_No_!" I screamed, as I watched her raise her free hand and smack Stu across the face. He didn't even flinch, but Angelina shrieked and began waving her hand around in pain. I worried that she might have broken it. "Please don't hurt her, Stu," I begged, rushing over to them. "She's just scared…"

"I know," he replied, his lips forming a tiny smile. Angelina, meanwhile, began to scream all over again and flailed around. Several of her kicks landed against Stu's shins, but he just maintained his grip and let the now-human woman continue to assault him until she'd exhausted herself. "Are you finished yet?"

"If you're going to kill me, go ahead and fucking _do it _already!" Angelina's words came out a kind of hybrid between a scream and a sob. I could see her shoulders shaking as the tears fell. I longed to pull her into my arms and whisper that everything was going to be okay, but that would only freak her even more, so I didn't dare move a muscle.

"No one is going to kill you." Stu sounded so gentle and reassuring that Angelina raised her eyes to his. That's when he turned on the vampire charm. "Calm down and have a seat." He pointed past me to the sofa, and, after Stu released her, she dutifully marched in that direction and followed his orders. Angelina's heartbeat continued to pound frantically in my own ears, but her face had gone slack and almost resumed the zombie-like appearance I had grown accustomed to over the past year.

"Now, Katie here is going to have a little chat with you." I flashed Stu a smile of sheer gratitude and sat next to Angelina while Stu settled into the armchair on our right.

"I remember you," she murmured. "You were at the benefit concert-"

"How are you feeling?" I interrupted before she could say anything damning. "Do you want something to eat, or a glass of water, or…"

She shook her head. "What happened to me?" Her arms wrapped around her thin frame and she shivered in her short, sleeveless hot pink dress. Zombies, like vampires, were impervious to cold and heat, but becoming human once more meant suffering from November's chill.

"She's cold, Stu. Can you get her a blanket or something?" I requested. He nodded and did his best impression of an average human man walking over to the hall closet. It was a small gesture that I appreciated: Angelina didn't need the stress of seeing those unnaturally quick vampire movements again. At least, not until I'd had a chance to explain.

My jaw nearly dropped when he returned with the long black coat I recalled from my latest nightmare. He draped it courteously over Angelina's small frame. It hung to Stu's knees when he wore it, so the material completely swallowed up Angelina, who was about a foot shorter.

The jewelry, the coat, my dream…It couldn't be a coincidence. It just _couldn't_.

"Thank you," a surprised Angelina whispered, frowning while she studied us. "Aren't you guys cold?" Her eyes traveled up and down my legs and she wrinkled her nose. "You're not wearing any pants…Eww! Did you"-She drew an imaginary line between us with her index finger-"just have sex?"

Stu laughed, but I silenced him with a glare. Nothing could have erased the smirk on his face, though.

"No," I insisted.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. _Now_ will you tell me what happened?"

I sighed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me," she said icily.

"Supernatural creatures are real, Ang-Lauren." One thin, feminine eyebrow arched in surprise. "My…friend, Stu"-I stumbled over how to introduce Stu as I motioned to him-"and I are both vampires, but I'm a witch, too."

Angelina burst into laughter. "Okay, you guys are either high or crazy. I'm so out of here." She tried to stand, but, since Stu had compelled her to sit, she was practically glued to the sofa. "Uh, why can't I move? What was in that tea?" The last statement was directed at me.

_She remembers. _I recoiled as if Angelina had just punched me in the stomach. I had made her a cup of strong herbal tea-and stirred in a few drops of my blood to strengthen our ties-just before beginning a past life regression spell. Within minutes, she had slipped into a zombie-like state.

"Tea?" Stu questioned. I did my best to ignore him, but I could have sworn his curious gaze was trying to burn a path directly into my brain and search for answers.

Angelina nodded. "She-sorry, I forgot your name-gave me some kind of herbal tea-"

"Look." I quickly distracted Angelina by poking one of my canine teeth with a finger so my fangs would elongate. Although I was desperate to find out just how much she could recall about that night, I was more frightened by how Stu would react. I dreaded the inevitable explosive reaction-and I vowed to do everything in my power to keep certain information a secret.

"Holy shit! You really _are_ a vampire!" Angelina exclaimed. Her eyes were wide before, but now they had reached saucer-like proportions. All the color drained from her face and she began to tremble.

"There's something else…" I dropped my hands in my lap and twisted them into an anxious knot. The news would be another dreadful shock to her system, but I wanted to get it out of the way. "You're fully human now, but you've been a zombie for the past year-"

"A zombie?" Angelina looked horrified, and I knew immediately that she was thinking along the lines of the gory zombie movies that modern day Hollywood was famous for. Her next sentence confirmed it. "You mean I've been, like, eating brains and flesh? Gross!"

"You did nothing of the sort, I assure you. You just lost your abilities to think, feel, and act independently."

"Oh, my God." Angelina moaned and massaged her temples. "I just want to go home and forget any of this ever happened. Please…" She stared at me beseechingly and tears rolled down her cheeks, dragging a bit of black eyeliner with them. "I swear I won't tell _anyone_ if you let me go."

Neither Stu nor I were worried about that. Either one of us could use our mind control abilities on Angelina to make her forget anything we didn't want her to remember. But letting her go? I just couldn't do it. If I set her free, it could take another lifetime to find her again, or-heaven forbid-something might cause her death within the next day and she would awaken as a vampire.

"I think it's in your best interest to stay here for a bit," I replied. _Besides, _I reasoned, _she would benefit from food, drink, and plenty of sleep. _

Angelina groaned. "I guess you two would have drained me dry already if you wanted to…" I _really_ hoped my expression didn't betray the guilt I felt over nearly doing just that. "Are we still in Toronto?"

"Far from it, love," Stu answered vaguely. "You said something about tea earlier…Care to elaborate?"

"Please, Stuart, not now," I said rather tersely. "Let her have some time to recover first. She's been through quite an ordeal."

He nodded in surrender after a moment of thoughtful silence. His pupils took on a burgundy tint as he watched Angelina swipe a thumb over the bitten, bloodstained skin of her wrist. I cleared my throat to distract him and his pupils became black as night again. Stu was showing remarkable restraint for a vampire exposed to the sight and scent of fresh blood, given that his usual diet consisted of daily meals from a human vein.

Fortunately, Angelina was too distressed to notice the subtle hints of impending danger.

"I suppose you're right." Stu sounded agreeable enough, but something told me he intended to resume his interrogation at a later time.

"Which one of you bit me?" Angelina wondered in a strangely subdued tone.

"I did. I'm sorry." I hoped that she could sense the sincerity behind my words. "I was-"

"Am I going to turn into a vampire now?" she demanded with a piercing glare. Receiving such a venomous look from the woman I loved was incredibly disturbing.

I quickly shook my head. The transfusion would help her heal faster than normal, and, as long as she stayed alive for the next day or so, my blood would pass harmlessly from her system.

Angelina heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm still getting used to being human again."

_It will take awhile for _all _of us to get used to that, _I added mentally.

Angelina might be oblivious to Stu's desire for fresh blood, but she was, however, aware of the tension that hung in the air like a thick curtain of smoke. Her bright blue eyes darted back and forth between us. It was also clear that she was still afraid of him but merely distrustful of me.

We were starting to make progress.


	11. Suspicions

Thank you to xj0j0x, Lay-Cool Lover, and Ainat for reviewing the last chapter, and to all of my other readers, too.

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><p>After changing the sheets on Stu's bed, I "persuaded" Angelina that she was tired and needed to take a nap. I guided her upstairs, into his room, and waited until her breathing was slow and relaxed before returning to Stu. He was pacing around at the foot of the stairs.<p>

"What's the matter?"

"We can't go long without blood," he muttered. "Not with _her_ here." His gaze trailed pointedly up the staircase, and I saw that his pupils had lightened to a burgundy hue. "It's too dangerous."

I nodded in understanding. We had managed our hunger just fine with access to a steady supply, but watching Angelina move around, her heart pumping strongly and blood rushing through her veins, triggered the predatory instinct in both of us.

"Let's go hunting when it gets dark," I suggested. Feeding off human beings didn't have to be a barbaric practice. If done carefully, it was often a source of pleasure for both vampire and donor-and the latter wouldn't even remember the incident afterward.

"What about Angelina?"

"One of us can compel her to stay here."

"How do I know you won't try to escape?" Stu stopped pacing and his eyebrows lifted with suspicion.

Good point. "Because…Because there's always a chance you'll kill Angelina or turn her into a vampire if I do anything foolish."

"I don't want to hurt either of you," Stu confessed, averting his eyes. "That's why I won't feed off her. I'm afraid I might not be able to stop…" He allowed the sentence to trail off ominously.

I wanted to believe that he was being sincere, but I also knew Stu wanted me by his side more than anything-maybe even blood. I couldn't rule out his resorting to violence in desperation…or if he ever found out the extent of my relationship with Angelina.

"I know." I smiled sweetly at him and rested my hand on his forearm. "I just wanted you to know that you could trust me not to do anything foolish."

"I do, Katarina. The problem is, I don't trust _myself_." Stu glanced at me and his fangs extended as he spoke. "You know what hunger does to me-and your touch isn't helping."

"Sorry." I dropped my hand from his arm and took a step back so that he could regain some clarity of thought, but it didn't seem to help.

"You'd think I'd be able to deal with my…cravings after so many years." He looked away again and tugged at a loose tendril of his black hair. "Isn't it driving you mad?"

I shrugged. "Not really. I'm all right as long as I have some kind of blood every day." I knew Stu was struggling because he indulged frequently-and liberally-in fresh human blood, but I was used to alternating between different sources, depending on what I had access to at the time.

"My God, Katarina!" Stu whirled around and cast an appalled look at me. "That's not living-that's barely even _existing_. A woman like you deserves the finest things life has to offer."

Automatically, I reached for the pendant and rubbed it between my fingers. Stu had the money to purchase a splendid mansion and fill every inch of it with luxurious furniture and expensive art. He could buy me a designer wardrobe and more jewelry than I knew what to do with. Somehow, though, I knew that material things were only the tip of the iceberg.

Without warning, Stu grabbed me and pressed me up against the nearest wall. I should have been scared, but the increasingly red gleam in his eyes only registered excitement within me.

"Every second should be filled with passion and excitement," Stu added, as if he had read my mind. "Isn't that what you want, love?" He nipped at the delicate skin of my throat, causing me to gasp with pleasure. "I could give you everything you ever dreamed of-starting now."

"We can't…Angelina…" The words tumbled out of my mouth incoherently as Stu's fingers slipped underneath my shirt and traced a path from my stomach to my breasts. I moaned involuntarily when he cupped one of them.

"Help me, Katie," he insisted, smashing his lips against mine. The desperation in his voice, the aggressiveness of his actions…I'd be lying if I said I wasn't turned on by it all.

My body began to respond to Stu's kisses and his exploration of my flesh. He was my drug. Dangerous yet addictive, intimate encounters with him always left me feeling both better and worse afterward.

Yes, Stu was my drug-but Angelina was my _soul mate_.

I snapped out of my trance the second I remembered her. She was human again, and she needed me.

I needed her, too.

_Angelina…Angelina, wake up! _I begged using telepathy. We were temporarily linked by blood, which should make my magic more effective. When nothing happened, I realized I might get better results using her real name. _Wake up, Lauren! _

Her heartbeat sped up just a little, multiple layers of bedding rustled, and I could have sworn I actually heard her blink…

_I really am a witch again._

I placed both hands on Stu's chest and gave him a firm shove. He growled in protest, but my gesture was enough to convince him to stop and take a step back.

"What?" he snapped, glaring at me. His irritation this time had less to do with being deprived of his preferred blood source.

"Angelina's awake. I need to check on her."

"I thought you told her to take a nap." Stu groaned and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"I did." I tried my best to come across as innocent. "I guess I forgot to tell her how much sleep she needed." I ducked under his arm with an apologetic smile and headed for the staircase.

* * *

><p>"I thought I heard your voice," Angelina murmured drowsily, rolling over onto her back to look at me.<p>

"Only in your dreams. How are you feeling?" I asked. I hesitated in the doorway, afraid that I might do something to frighten her.

"How do you _think_ I'm feeling?" Angelina snapped. She combed her manicured fingers roughly through her purple-streaked, platinum hair and snuggled deeper under the covers. "I'm a little-make that a _lot_-freaked out, okay?"

"Is there anything I can get you?" I tried not to take Angelina's outburst personally. She had just been through a traumatic experience and now found herself the sole human being among vampires. Who _wouldn't_ be in a bad mood under those circumstances?

"Like what? Blood? No thanks."

I couldn't help but smirk just a little. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of a glass of water."

"Oh." She blushed. "Yeah, water would be good."

I inched across the room and perched on the end of the bed, smiling to show Angelina that her rudeness was forgiven.

"Hey, why did you call me Angela?"

"Ange_lina_," I corrected her gently before shrugging. "I thought it suited you better. No offense, but you don't really look like a 'Lauren' to me."

"Angelina." She seemed to savor the word, as if tasting every nuance in a sip of fine wine or exquisitely roasted coffee. "I like it." She giggled and added, "You know, I always thought my first name was kind of…blah."

"So, you don't mind if I call you Angelina, then?"

"I guess not." She cocked her head and carefully scrutinized every feature on my face. "I swear I've seen you before the concert. You look familiar…"

"It's possible. I lived in Toronto for awhile," I said quickly.

"But I haven't been there for _years_," a puzzled Angelina protested. "I was living in New York when my old bandmates begged me to come home and play a few shows for charity. That's the only reason I returned."

_Stop talking. Just stop talking, _I pleaded silently. I didn't know where Stu was, exactly, but I knew he could hear every single word from anywhere in the house.

"Well, I was in New York before that"-To my relief, the lie rolled naturally off my tongue-"and I've traveled all around the States and Europe. I suppose we might have crossed paths, but I'm afraid I don't remember you."

Angelina shook her head insistently. "I just feel like I've known you for-"

"You must be hungry." I stood up and moved towards the open doorway. "I'll go see if Stu has anything for you to eat."

I walked downstairs on slightly wobbly legs. Angelina recalled too much of our time together. She was going to get us both killed if she kept talking and asking questions.

I found Stu in the kitchen. He had produced a box of cereal and his back was to me as he stood at the sink and filled a cup with tap water.

"It isn't exactly gourmet cooking, but I bought it for her before…Well, you know." Stu turned around and handed the water to me. There was no point in pretending that he hadn't overheard my conversation with Angelina, so he didn't bother.

His eyes were darker than ever. It was a testament to his remarkable self control that he hadn't attacked Angelina or raped me yet-or done both.

"It's fine. Thank you." I grabbed the box off the kitchen table and was just about to retreat when Stu's deep voice commanded my attention again.

"I've noticed that you always change the subject whenever Angelina questions you about the past."

"The poor girl is still in shock and confused," I replied with a shrug. "Obviously, she can't go back to her old life, and thinking about the way things were will only make her upset."

"How thoughtful of you to consider her feelings." Stu's tone suffered from just a touch of frostbite.

He was going to become obsessed with the subject if I didn't create a diversion _right now_. I steeled my nerves and set Angelina's food and drink on the table before approaching a confused Stu. Then I swept my hair to the right and held it in place, tilting my head so that he had a clear view of my exposed neck.

"What are you doing, Katie?" His voice was thick and longing was written all over his face.

"I'm offering you my blood. I don't know if it'll help, but it's worth a try."

"You're too good to me," Stu muttered, shaking his head, "but it won't work."

"But when _I_ drank your _blood_-"

"That was different. My blood only has an effect on you because I turned you. And, as I recall, that particular...feeding had nothing to do with hunger." Shame flickered across his rugged features for a brief moment, but then he revealed a trademark smirk. "I do appreciate your offer, however."

Damn it! Yes, helping Stu and protecting Angelina were important to me, but not _all_ of my motives were entirely selfless. After all, having blood taken was almost as delightful as taking someone else's, and I thought it might be a guilt-free way to ease some of the unresolved sexual tension Stu had stirred up in me earlier...I almost pointed out that my blood could possess healing abilities since my witchcraft had returned, but something stopped me from reminding him of the possibility. Common sense, I supposed.

_He's afraid,_ I realized. _He's afraid of losing control and pushing me away. _My theory explained so much about Stu's actions in the past and present. It was easier to write him off as a sociopath, but what if his violent behavior was merely a reflection of his fears as opposed to an indication of his true character?

"Best not to keep Angelina waiting too long." Stu interrupted my musings by nudging me in the direction of the table. I hastily reached for the box and mug, filled with remorse for having forgotten all about Angelina's needs. "She must be starving by now."


	12. Between Love and Blood

Thank you to everyone reading this, and a special thank you goes out to xj0j0x, Lay-Cool Lover, and Ainat for reviewing. I meant to update sooner, but my computer got a virus and it took several days to have it fixed and returned. Enjoy!

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><p>"No way." Angelina broke into a grin at the sight of the box in my hand. She looked so happy that she reminded me of a little girl surrounded by a pile of Christmas presents. "I can't believe you actually have something here that I can eat."<p>

"You can thank Stu for that." I handed her the box and set the water down on the nightstand to her left. Personally, I wouldn't have selected store brand corn flakes, but, then again, grocery stores hadn't even _existed _when Stu was still human. Shopping for food was something he'd never had to worry about before.

"I will." Angelina's face contorted in disgust after her first taste of water. "Ugh! Tap water." She gave me an apologetic look and quickly explained, "Sorry. I'm always drink bottled water." Nonetheless, she took a second, longer drink before returning the mug to the nightstand and starting on the cereal.

I couldn't help but smile at her response. She sounded a lot like Stu when he complained about having to drink prepacked human blood.

"It's all right. I've never really liked water from the tap, either." I remained standing, even though I wanted to perch on the end of the bed and keep her company for awhile.

Angelina paused with her hand in the box. "So, does that mean you're not, like, hundreds of years old?"

I shook my head. "I became a vampire just eight years ago."

"Oh. You must have been very young when it happened." I thought I detected a twinge of jealousy in her voice. How sad that my beautiful Angelina seemed to be one of those women who dreaded the aging progress. She was only about thirty or so.

"I was twenty-three at the time. You know, you should get some more rest after you finish eating." I turned to go, afraid my presence would only lead to more unwanted questions and revelations—and I was right. Angelina caught hold of my arm and her eyes pleaded with me to reconsider.

"Hey, don't go. I wanted to ask you about that hot guy downstairs."

"Stu?" Her choice of topic was a relief, because I had expected her to start babbling about past lives and soul mates.

"Yeah. Are you two going out, or just friends with benefits, or what?"

"He's my ex-boyfriend, current friend, and the vampire who turned me." I hoped Stu didn't intend to pursue the friends with benefits option now that it had been put on the table, because there was no way I could sleep with him and maintain a clear head, too.

"Good." She was visibly relieved by my response at first, but then she flushed with embarrassment. "Wow. I don't know why I said that. I came across as totally jealous-like I have a crush on you or something..." Our eyes met and I quickly turned away. Angelina gulped down the rest of her water and dug into the cereal again. Apparently, generic corn flakes weren't quite as offensive as tap water. Besides, eating prevented her from blurting out other statements that would make both of us uncomfortable.

My laughter sounded awkward and forced—because it was. "Well, you wouldn't be the first. Let me know if you need anything else." The second I left the room, I felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.

Avoiding Angelina and keeping secrets from her broke my heart, but it was better than the alternative.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry about losing control earlier." Stu took his eyes off the road for a split second to glance at me remorsefully. "I had no intention of forcing myself on you, but the hunger..."<p>

"You don't have to apologize, Stu. I know what hunger can do to a vampire." An image of Paul-pale, covered in blood, and near death-flashed into my mind before I could stop it. I shook my head and turned away so that Stu wouldn't realize how close to crying I was.

An awkard silence followed, and, after a little while, I realized that Stu was a natural at driving on the right side of the road. He seemed to know how to get around rural Kentucky almost as well as I did.

"I miss home," he said abruptly, and I found myself nodding in agreement.

"Me, too." My parents were British, as were my stepfather and stepbrothers, and I had fallen in love with their country the moment I got off the plane. Eighteen years in Germany couldn't erase the influence of my loved ones, and neither could the last two years I'd spent roaming the US and Canada.

We went over the plan while we drove. Stu's nearest neighbors were miles away. He didn't know them personally, but he said they were a couple in their thirties with a young daughter.

I made him promise to leave the little girl alone.

Dogs barked warnings and horses whinnied and stomped restlessly from the barn as we pulled into the family's driveway. Animals know instinctively that vampires are the enemy and react accordingly—yet another reason I'd had to give up my beloved cats.

I had volunteered to make contact, reasoning that a person would be more likely to open the door to a woman that a man of Stu's stature and imposing looks. I closed the car door as quietly as I could, marched up the front steps to the porch, and knocked.

The porch light came on after about a minute or so, illuminating everything in an unnaturally bright glow made even more intense by my heightened sense of sight. A pretty woman with shoulder-length, sun-streaked light brown hair and brown eyes peered cautiously around the door.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a soft southern accent. I caught a glimpse of red flannel, a simple gold wedding band, and blue jeans.

I nodded and looked her directly in the eye. "Please follow me and don't make a sound." I could hear her footsteps behind me as I led her to an area shaded by trees.

Stu appeared out of nowhere and sank his fangs into her jugular. Not so long ago, he wouldn't have hesitated to rip her throat out, but tonight he took great care to be gentle. The woman closed her eyes and smiled in response.

Meanwhile, my fangs were throbbing at the sight and scent of fresh blood.

"Your turn, love," Stu offered after he had taken what he wanted. The woman was clearly disappointed when the blissful sensation ended, but her smile returned as I walked toward her, fangs exposed.

I had planned to skip the feeding, but I suddenly felt ravenous and ended up surrendering to my desires. Stu, like usual, had to pull me away before I went too far. I waited in the car while Stu compelled our victim into believing she had been attacked by an animal, then told her to go back inside.

We disappeared out of sight just before her husband came downstairs and interrogated his wife.

"We make a good team, don't we?" Stu remarked. He was in such a good mood that he let me choose a radio station to listen to on the drive home.

"Yes, we do." I wondered if I could use witchcraft to make his good mood last forever, because I had a feeling that everything was about to go to hell.

* * *

><p>"Finally!" Angelina sighed dramatically as she bounced off the sofa and jogged across the room. She stopped just short of crashing into me and took my hands in hers, beaming. "I'm <em>so<em> glad you're back, because I have something to tell you-"

"Later," I said with a strained smile. Stu closed the door behind us. "You could do with some more rest."

"I'm not tired," Angelina insisted, frowning, but then she squeezed my hands and her eyes lit up with joy. "I remember everything, Katie! _Everything_!"

"Angelina, I don't think-" Stu interrupted my sentence by slapping a hand across my mouth. He wrapped his other arm firmly around my waist and dragged me away from a surprised Angelina.

"Katarina may not be interested in what you have to say, but I am. Tell me what you remember," he requested of her. I couldn't see his face, but, judging by Angelina's suddenly blank expression, Stu had turned on the vampire charm that no mere human could possibly resist.

I let out a—muffled—groan and continued to flail around helplessly, like a drowning person who doesn't know how to swim. It was useless: Stu had no intention of releasing me until he'd heard the entire story.

"Okay," Angelina agreed, and her enthusiasm returned at once. Her lovely features screwed up as she concentrated on the details. "I used to sing in a band, and Katie approached me backstage after one of our shows. She told me we were soul mates through the ages and it had taken her many years to find me again."

"Soul mates," Stu breathed, and his grip on me tightened painfully. Tears suddenly stung my eyes, but that had very little to do with his bone-crushing hold. "Go on."

"I didn't believe her, of course. I mean, it's crazy, right? But she persuaded me to go to her apartment and do something called a past life regression spell. Katie made me some herbal tea and insisted I drink it, then she grabbed my hands and started speaking in another language...I think it was German." Her voice rose in excitement as she recalled what had happened between us.

"Anyway, I started to remember...I got these, like, quick flashbacks of women in love—hugging, kissing, holding hands. They were dressed in clothing from different eras, and they looked like different women, but they always had the same eyes—mine and Katie's. The last thing I remembered before...before becoming a zombie, I guess, was looking into her eyes and realizing that she was telling the truth. Then everything went black."

"Soul mates, Katarina?" Stu growled. He shook me about by the shoulders. "You're going to regret toying with me, you miserable little slut!"

"Stu, I..." I had hoped the right words would come to me, but my brain had ceased to function—maybe because I knew there was nothing I could say or do to convince Stu of my innocence. I couldn't even use my magic against him until I calmed down enough to remember a suitable spell.

"Stop it!" Angelina shrieked, rushing to my defense with her fists raised. "You're hurting her!"

"Don't move," Stu ordered, and Angelina found herself frozen in place against her will. He turned his wrath against me again, and part of me whispered that I deserved it. The man really had loved me—or, at least, come as close to loving me as he was capable of—and I had deceived him. He gave me a hard shove into the front door and cornered me there.

"I should have known you were playing a game, but I was too bloody stupid—too blinded by love—to realize what you were doing." His fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly and his eyes damn near turned black with the rage that threatened to erupt at any moment. "Believe me, I won't make the same mistake again."

"I-I can explain-"

"Don't bother. I know how birds like you operate: You take what you want from a man, then you break his heart and move on to your next victim." I flinched when he punched a hole through the wooden door just inches away from my face, and I heard Angelina cry out in alarm. "I suppose you intended to make a fortune by pawning off my mother's necklace."

"No!" I hadn't even considered the idea, although doing so would ensure both Angelina and I a comfortable—financially, anyway—existence for years to come.

His malicious gaze drifted in Angelina's direction. "Is she in on your little scheme, too?"

"What are you talking about?" she demanded, bewildered.

"I swear to you that Angelina is _innocent_," I insisted tearfully.

"You're not the only one who can play mind games, Katarina," Stu whispered in my ear, causing every single muscle I had to go rigid with fear. He ran a finger down my cheek with deceptive tenderness and smiled at Angelina. "There's only one thing stronger than the bond between soul mates, and that's a blood bond. Observe."

Everything happened so quickly...Stu tore open a vein in his wrist and force fed me his blood, silencing the scream that had only begun to leave my mouth. Angelina was screaming, too, and pleading with him to stop, but he paid her no attention. I did my best not to swallow, but Stu, naturally, knew the best way to make me do what he wanted.

"Feed or Angelina here dies—and remember, she just drank vampire blood."

I looked into Angelina's terrified, tear-streaked face, and I did what I had to in order to ensure that she remained human.

Stu waited until I felt sick to my stomach before deciding I'd had enough. I estimated that I must have consumed several measuring cups worth of his blood, and the side effects were immediate. I stood on tiptoe, threw my arms around his neck, and planted a passionate kiss on him.

"What are you _doing, _Katie?" shrieked Angelina. "We're supposed to be _soul mates_! Remember?"

The blonde's shrill protests did nothing more than annoy me, because I only had eyes for Stu, who had just kissed me back with equal enthusiasm.

"Let's go upstairs," I purred, wearing a sultry smile to increase the odds of getting what I wanted. It was an unnecessary gesture, however, because Stu's broad grin indicated that he more than agreed with my plans.

"Welcome back, love," he answered, pressing his lips to mine once again.


	13. Tell Me How You Really Feel

As always, I appreciate every reader and want to thank xj0j0x, Lay-Cool Lover, and Ainat for reviewing the last chapter!

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><p>"I'm sorry. What I did was wrong and I shouldn't have done it."<p>

I stared at Stu in exasperation, hands on my hips. We'd finally made it to the bedroom, and now he just wanted to _talk_?

"I don't know what you're apologizing for—and I don't care, either," I insisted stubbornly, then removed his belt with lightning speed. "Just shut up and fuck me already."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. I waited impatiently for lust to conquer guilt like it always did.

"You're impossible to resist," Stu murmured with a smirk. He unclasped my necklace and placed it safely on the nightstand before reaching for my shirt. Between the two of us, we removed every last trace of clothing and tumbled onto the bed in less than a minute.

I could hear Angelina sobbing downstairs, and I was pretty sure she could hear my every moan and every squeak of the bed springs, but I didn't care. Nothing mattered except holding onto this heavenly feeling for as long as I possibly could.

Afterward, I snuggled up against Stu, but, although he held me close, I sensed that something was troubling him.

My intuition was correct.

"Marie would never have turned me if she knew I'd become such a monster," Stu commented out of the blue. He seemed to be talking to himself, although he knew perfectly well I could hear a pin drop with crystal clarity.

"You are _not_ a monster," I argued. "Monsters aren't capable of love." I traced the thin scar that ran about twelve inches or so down the back of Stu's left shoulder. Vampires could heal quickly from even the most catastrophic injuries, but whatever scars and blemishes they earned while still human remained. That also explained why his nose looked the way it did.

As I touched the light red line, I received a mental movie of the final moments of Stu's human life. I couldn't tell whether the scene was an authentic vision of the real thing or just imagined because he had already described his death to me in vivid detail. Either way, I visualized a drunken Patriot trying to pick a fight with Stu over his support for the King of England. When Stu did the gentlemanly thing and turned to walk away, the man pulled out a knife and plunged it into his back. There was a brief struggle...The knife tore a long gash in his flesh and Stu managed to get in a few good punches before he collapsed on the street below. His attacker, meanwhile, fled into the darkness. The man must have been following him for some time, because they were in an isolated area where no one was around to hear Stu shouting in agony.

Then I saw a brunette woman sniffing the air and lifting the hem of her hunter green dress as she rushed to Stu's assistance. This had to be Marie. Stu was a vampire magnet: Close to death, eerily pale, and lying in a pool-practically an ocean-of his own blood. I saw Marie flash her fangs and heard her tell Stu she could save him, but he would no longer be human.

Although he was clearly terrified of this supernatural entity, he was also desperate to live, so he looked into her big blue eyes—which were filled with both compassion and hunger-and begged her to have mercy on him...

The next thing I knew, Stu was wiping my damp cheeks with a concerned look. I hadn't even realized that I'd been crying.

"What's got you so upset, love?"

"I'm glad Marie saved you!" I blurted out. I was also glad that she had mysteriously vanished shortly after Stu's awakening and was never seen or heard from again—not that I'd admit that to him. I just _hated_ the thought of sharing him with another woman.

He hesitated for a moment before hugging me tightly against his chest. The nightmarish images slowly faded from my mind and were replaced by wonderful images of a future with Stu.

A brilliant idea came to me during that peaceful silence. I wondered why I hadn't thought of it sooner.

"Let's get married and move back to England," I pleaded. "I know you're not happy here in America, and I'm a bit homesick, too. A fresh start will be good for both of us." Since I was positive he'd agree with me, I began debating whether my last name should be Waters-Bennett or just Bennett after I became his wife.

Stu's reaction was not what I had expected or hoped for.

"You're only saying these things because I renewed our bond," he said grimly. "You'll never forgive me once you come to your senses."

"Oh, stop being so morbid." I climbed on top of him and began to kiss him again, but Stu attempted to cool my passions by holding me at arm's length. I was beginning to feel frustrated in more ways than one.

"What about your...soul mate?"

"Angelina?" He nodded, and I shrugged in response. "I suppose I loved her once upon a time, but I don't anymore."

"And Paul? Are you still in love with him?"

I shook my head vehemently. "Of course not! I lost interest in him when I met you. You're the only one I can see myself being with forever, darling."

There was a long silence. I feared that Stu might reject me altogether...Just the thought of him doing such a thing nearly drove me to madness.

"I love you, Katarina," Stu told me quietly. He released his grip on me and caressed my face. I was shocked to discover that he was on the verge of tears, yet relieved that he hadn't pushed me away. "Promise me you'll remember that—regardless of what I've done in the past or might do in the future."

I thought that was an odd thing to say, especially coming from a man like him, but I played along because I desperately wanted to make him happy.

"I promise—and I love you, too," I reassured him with a genuine smile.

Only then did we make love again, which temporarily caused me forget about marriage and England and leaving Angelina.

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><p>Time passed in a joyful blur of sex, conversation, hunting trips, and resting in Stu's arms, although sometimes—when he thought I wasn't looking—his expression would turn melancholy and thoughtful. If he noticed me staring, he'd put on a bright smile for my benefit, but the touch of sadness that remained in those gray-green eyes haunted me.<p>

For awhile, I was so consumed with Stu that I barely noticed Angelina's presence. I knew she hated me for betraying her, but, at the moment, I was only interested in Stu's opinion of me.

I had no idea exactly how much time had passed before my bond with him began to dissolve...A few days, perhaps...I had just started to wallow in self-loathing when I realized there was still enough of a connection between us to use for mind reading purposes. It was only the combination of witchcraft and drinking Stu's blood that made such a thing possible.

The prospect of discovering what sinister thoughts and plans lurked within the dark corners of his mind was terrifying, but not knowing frightened me even more. I pretended to be asleep so that Stu wouldn't get suspicious and spent the next five minutes or so consciously filtering out every single thought and noise until only his internal voice remained.

_I don't deserve Katie after everything I've done to her, but I can't live without her, either. If only I could find a way to make the bond permanent...I'd probably need a witch for that._ Angelina suddenly began to cry, which turned Stu's hopeful mood sour—and the distraction nearly kicked me out of his head. _I must get rid of that irritating little bird, too. Then I can finally have Katarina all to myself..._

Make the bond permanent..."Get rid of" Angelina...Although I believed in my heart that Stu felt remorse for his actions, I also knew that his obsession with me was strong enough to overcome whatever morals and common sense he had left. Tears seeped from beneath my closed lids in spite of my best efforts to keep them at bay.

I had spent the past two years on the run from this man—this _monster, _as he had described himself—and for good reason. I needed to remind myself, again and again, that almost anything could trigger his murderous rage.

While it was true that Stu couldn't trust me anymore, I had lost my ability to have complete faith in him long ago. He had let me down when I needed him the most...

"_Hello, old friend. Guess who's decided to return to England?"_

_The book I'd been reading nearly fell out of my hands. Hearing _that_ voice on the other end of the line, saying _those_ words, made me want to take the next available flight to another continent. Drew had vanished shortly after his assault on me and Stu had given me periodic accounts of his best mate's travels across Europe, but I had assumed the Scottish vampire wasn't coming back. I couldn't believe he had the audacity to return to the scene of the crime, so to speak._

"_Splendid!" From my position on the sofa, I could hear the excitement in Stu's voice as he paced around the kitchen with the mobile phone. "What about your living arrangements? You're welcome to stay here until you find something more permanent."_

_Drew knew bloody well that he wasn't welcome anywhere _near _me. _

_There was a lull in the conversation while Drew apparently mulled over his options. I hoped he had made other arrangements, but something told me otherwise._

"_No, I haven't found a place to stay yet..Are you sure I wouldn't be imposing?"_

"_It's no trouble at all, I assure you. Katie and I would be delighted to have you as our house guest."_

No, I wouldn't! _I protested inwardly. I was beginning to regret keeping the truth from Stu for so many years. Surely, he wouldn't allow Drew to stay in the same house as me if he knew how he'd treated me!_

"_I'll see you in about a week, then."_

One week. _That didn't give me much time to figure out how to get rid of him._

_Stu was grinning from ear to ear when he returned to the living room. Seeing how happy he was only made me feel worse._

"_I take it you've heard the good news..."_

"_I won't have him in my home, Stuart," I said quietly but firmly. _

_Stu scowled. "I know I should have consulted you first, but it's _my _home, too, and-"_

"_He tried to rape me."_

_I heard his sharp intake of breath and waited for a display of righteous anger at the idea of another man attempting to violate his woman, but Stu's face simply went blank, as if I'd just spoken to him in German._

"_What?" he finally asked._

"_It happened a few months before you turned me," I began. "Remember that night I came home early from rehearsals with a migraine?" Stu didn't nod, or say yes, or do anything in response, really. He just continued to stare at me with a dumbfounded expression, so I continued my story. "Drew cornered me in the parking lot. I thought he was hungry, and he was, but...He wanted something else, too: M_e_._

_"He said I was too good for you and he could take care of me better, and...he kissed me." I blinked and inhaled a deep, shuddering breath, trying to stop the inevitable flow of hot tears. __"I tried to fight him off, but..." I shrugged helplessly, knowing that Stu would understand what I meant, and began to cry as the memories came racing back. "Drew got angry. He choked me and forced me into the back of my car. Then he started to...He started to undress me...__" I was sobbing by then and could barely force the words past my lips. "Oh, Stu, it was dreadful! I only escaped because I used magic-"_

_"Shut up!" Stu roared, having finally snapped out of his trance__. At the same time, his fist collided with my face. _

_I let out a scream that could probably be heard from miles away. The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth as I gingerly touched my throbbing jawbone. It was indeed a miracle that my jaw wasn't shattered and all of my teeth, fangs included, seemed to be intact, but I would be in excruciating pain for a long time to come._

_That pain was the only reason I knew I hadn't been dreaming. Stu had never, _ever_ raised a hand to me before..._

"_How _dare_ you accuse him of something so vile! I've known Drew Galloway for nearly a century, Katarina, and he's an honorable man." _Honorable?_ He narrowed his eyes as he towered over me. "You, however, are one of those trollops who throws herself shamelessly at every man in sight and dresses like she belongs on a street corner!" _

_I jumped off the sofa and slapped the taste out of his mouth before I even thought about my actions—because, if I had, I wouldn't have done anything to further enrage Stu. But, damn it, he _deserved_ it for making such nasty accusations about me!_

_He had me by the throat and slammed me against the wall in a heartbeat. My feet dangled uselessly above the floor and I dug my nails into Stu's arms in desperation—not that it had any effect on him. Being choked hurt like hell. _

"_You shouldn't have done that, Katarina," he said in a deadly tone, "just like you shouldn't have tried to seduce Drew." My eyes widened and I was tempted to point out that he himself had warned me repeatedly not to be alone with Drew, but Stu had cut off my ability to speak. "Yes, I know the truth. It's obvious that you created the rape story to cover your tracks, and now you're afraid Drew will tell me what a wicked woman you really are." _

_All I could do in my defense was shake my head, which earned me a slap that sent fresh waves of pain reverberating throughout my face. The world began to spin and I slid down the wall into a sitting position. Shooting stars danced before my eyes, disappearing just in time for me to witness Stu rip a framed picture off the wall and break off part of the wooden frame. He carelessly tossed aside the remains, showering me in shards of glass, and one of his heavy boots smashed into my ribcage as I dropped to my hands and knees and attempted to crawl away._

_Another bloodcurdling scream escaped from my throat, coinciding with the cracking noise that my broken rib, or ribs, made. It sounded hauntingly similar to the sound of the wooden frame Stu had broken._

_Stu grabbed a handful of my hair and dragged me to my feet. I hated to show weakness in front of him, but I was in so much pain that I couldn't help but sob._

"_Were there others? How many blokes have you been fucking behind my back? Answer me!" Stu demanded. He shouted and shook me by the hair for emphasis, jolting my battered system even more than I had thought possible. _

"_I would never cheat on you! I swear!" My voice sounded funny—raspy-from being suffocated earlier._

"_You've disappointed me, love." He tauntingly ran the sharp edge of the broken picture frame down my cheek. Splinters embedded themselves just underneath my skin. "You've betrayed my trust and broken my heart—and for that, you _must_ be punished."_

It's a stake, _I realized. _He made a stake, and now he's going to kill me._ My reaction was strangely calm for someone who knows her death is imminent, but I had probably just gone into shock._

_I tried to scratch his eyes, but he encircled both my wrists tightly with one hand when he figured out my intentions. The handmade stake trailed down my neck and across my chest, coming to a stop just over my heart._

"_You're making a terrible mistake," I whispered, and closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see the satisfaction on Stu's face when he finished me off. I hoped my death would be so quick as to be painless._

"_Killing you _would_ be a mistake." My eyelids flew open and I watched in disbelief as he dropped his weapon to the floor. "You would just come back to haunt me, wouldn't you? No, I have a better plan...I'm going to break you, Katie—mind, body, and spirit. By the time I'm through with you, love, you'll be completely dead inside. That will surely put an end to your wicked ways."_

_A smirking Stu finally released me and walked away, leaving me to suffer alone. I curled up into a ball on the hardwood floor and began plotting my escape._

I sensed that Stu was watching me and opened my eyes to find him giving me a sympathetic look.

"Another nightmare, love?" he inquired, brushing away my tears.

I nodded and reluctantly allowed him to attempt to comfort me with a kiss on the forehead. The _real_ nightmare was getting involved with a man who both loved and hated me—a man I also loved and hated equally.

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><p>I tried to hide it, but Stu seemed to know instinctively when he no longer had any influence over me. Perhaps I tensed a little when he touched me, or maybe my tone was off when I spoke to him. Either way, he had enough dignity to let me shower alone, which I appreciated. I didn't need the added temptation of seeing him without clothing.<p>

Afterward, I changed into a new T-shirt he had given me—this one came from his extensive collection of black tees—towel-dried my hair to the best of my ability, and met Stu in the hallway as I exited the bathroom. The necklace dangled from his fingers and he offered it to me without meeting my eyes.

"It's yours if you still want it," he said quietly.

I didn't know what to do. If I returned his gift, he might react in anger—but taking it back would give him false hope.

When I didn't react, Stu placed the gold chain and pendant in my palm and folded my fingers around the jewelry.

"You might change your mind later." He didn't wait for a response, choosing instead to take me by the arm and march me downstairs. Back to the basement for me...

I cursed myself for my indecisiveness and impulsive, selfish behavior. Everyone I had ever loved ended up getting hurt because of me. I began to think it would be best if I just ran away—from Stu, from Angelina, from Paul—to some far corner of the globe, where I could live out the rest of time in solitude.

Angelina was a mess. Her face was puffy and red from crying, her black eye makeup had migrated elsewhere, and her eyes were nearly as lifeless as they had been when she was a zombie. She had been lying on the sofa, idly channel surfing, but that inner fire returned the second she saw me. The remote control suddenly sailed across the room and would have smacked me right in the face if I hadn't caught it with my free hand. Stu took the plastic device from me and set it on a nearby shelf while I apologized to Angelina for my behavior.

Like everything I'd done lately, my attempt to soothe her only added fuel to the fire.

"Sorry? _Sorry_? You _should_ be fucking sorry!" she screamed. Stu cringed at her tone, as did I, because of our incredibly sensitive hearing.

"You don't understand-"

"You're damn right I don't!" Angelina had been loud before, but now the words practically exploded from her mouth. "How the hell am I supposed to forgive you after what you did? We've been _soul mates _for_ centuries_, but that didn't stop you from making out with your ex right in front of me!"

"Angelina..." I glanced at Stu, but he seemed torn between stepping in and staying out of our business. Reluctantly, I turned my attention back to Angelina, who had started screaming at me again.

"Then, as if _that _weren't bad enough, I had to listen to you two have loud, wild vampire sex all damn day! Why don't you just stab me in the heart already and be done with it?"

I was so shocked by the cruelty of her words that my voice failed me, although I began to cry automatically. Knowing that I was responsible for breaking Angelina's heart was devastating, but she didn't understand how much power Stu had over me.

"If...If you would just let me explain what happened-"

She didn't give me a chance—not that I blamed her in the slightest.

"I _hate_ you more than I've ever hated anyone, Katie! I hope you...I hope you burst into flames, you bloodsucking _whore_!" Angelina's palm nearly connected with my cheek, but Stu stepped in and caught her hand before she could deliver the slap.

"That is _enough_," he growled. "Katarina isn't to blame. Don't take your anger out on her."

"Actually, I blame _both_ of you," Angelina mumbled, trying unsuccessfully to shake her hand free of his. Her words might be defiant, but she had turned ashen with fear and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

Stu shrugged. "You're right to blame me, because it's my fault." Angelina was too scared of him to disagree, which gave him a chance to explain further. He let go of her hand and stepped back. She hurried to back away, too, and almost lost her balance as a result. "You see, a vampire is naturally inclined to please and obey his or her maker during their first year. I call it a 'blood bond'. The bond fades eventually, but it can be rekindled at any time if the younger vampire drinks the blood of the one who created them."

Angelina shuddered in disgust, but the look she gave me from the corner of her eye was less hateful and more understanding. I was starting to feel less angry, too—towards Stu, in my case. What he had done to me was immoral, but it seemed that he was trying to make up for losing control of his emotions.

"That said, a vampire cannot react as passionately as Katie did without feeling something more than loyalty to their sire."

Just when I was starting to feel kindly towards Stu again, he had to go and ruin things...

"Like love," Angelina said softly, but she glared at me again, "or lust."

"Exactly," Stu confirmed with a nod. An uncomfortable feeling that I couldn't quite identify settled in the pit of my stomach. He turned back to me and smiled. "I do believe you loved Angelina in the past, but you can't deny that there's real chemistry between us—and it has _nothing_ to do with the bond."

_He's right,_ I realized, finally admitting what I had denied for so long. Why else would I have stayed with him for so many years in spite of our differences? What other explanation could there be for the many times I had melted at Stu's touch, longed for his praise, and enjoyed simply being around him, all without the influence of his blood? And why accept the fancy necklace that was currently ensconced within my hand in the first place unless I loved the man and knew he felt the same about me?

But Angelina and I were soul mates throughout the ages...I glanced at her uncertainly and was so overwhelmed by guilt when her eyes welled up that I had to look away. We had risked our lives many times over to be together. A connection that strong couldn't be so easily broken by a third party, could it? Then again, all it took was one taste of Stu's blood for me to forget about my dear Angelina for awhile...

_Life would be so much simpler if only I had stayed with Paul! _I thought sadly. Paul was kind, protective, and had made my happiness a priority—and, of course, he was a damned good lover and sexy as hell. But he was lost forever to me, and-

"The time has come to make a choice, Katarina." Stu's ultimatum immediately snapped me out of my daydreams. "Angelina or me."


	14. The Right Choice

This is the last chapter. I will post the first chapter of the sequel (called "Gone Forever?") soon. I apologize for taking so long to finish this one, but I worked really hard to make sure it turned out well.

I am grateful to everyone who has read and reviewed. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story and stick around for the sequel. :)

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><p>"Right now?" I squeaked, panicked.<p>

"Right now."

I glanced at Angelina, who was biting her lip anxiously, then back at Stu. He was waiting for my answer with his arms folded across his chest, impatiently tapping a pattern on the hardwood floor with one foot. My vision was obscured by a veil of tears and my heart was heavy, but it was nonetheless an easy decision to make. I turned to Angelina with a defeated expression.

"I'm sorry, Angelina, but I don't have a choice." She deserved to live a long, happy, _human_ life, and there was only one way to ensure that happened.

"There's _always _a choice—and you're making the wrong one!" she shot back. Her voice quivered slightly despite her anger.

"I'm saving your life! He'll _kill_ you if I don't give him what he wants!" I cried. I knew from experience that Stu wouldn't hesitate to follow up on his threats if he didn't get the reaction he wanted—and I also knew that he thought human beings were only useful as either food sources or pawns.

"She's right, my dear," Stu cut in, addressing Angelina with a shrug and a predatory smile. She shuddered, hugged her slender frame, and took a few steps back. "I simply refuse to share Katie with anyone—and I'm not above eliminating the competition if necessary."

"You really are a monster," Angelina whispered.

"Let Angelina go and I'll do anything you ask of me," I pleaded in desperation.

Stu barked out a laugh. "How noble of you to sacrifice your girlfriend in exchange for an eternity of devotion and incredible sex."

"I can get those things from Angelina, you know," I hissed at him. In response, Stu raised an eyebrow.

"No mere human girl"-He cast a contemptuous glance toward Angelina, who scowled at him-"could _possibly_ satisfy a supernatural goddess." Stu directed his attention towards me again. "I accept your proposal-"

"_Proposal_?" Angelina screeched. "You _proposed_ to this fucking creep?"

'In Katarina's defense, the blood bond was active when she asked for my hand in marriage," Stu pointed out. He gestured to my right hand, which was still clenched around the necklace. "Since I don't have a ring to offer you, I insist that you put the necklace back on as a sign of your...loyalty."

Reluctantly, I uncurled my fingers and plucked the necklace from my palm. I squeezed my eyes shut and then blinked to keep the tears at bay.

"I hope you're happy, Stuart," I said coldly as I swept my hair to the side and fastened the gold chain around my neck.

"Very," he confirmed with a stomach-churning smirk.

I should have predicted that Angelina was going to do something reckless, but I had tried to tune out her wail of grief in order to ease my own pain—an action I regretted just seconds later.

"No! I won't let you do this!"

Angelina dashed up to me and, in one quick movement, yanked the chain from around my neck.

I gasped. The jewelry represented the last bit of goodness that hadn't died in Stu—but, more importantly, its destruction would push him over the edge. It was up to me to diffuse a potentially explosive situation.

As I expected, Stu bypassed the whole concept of understanding and went straight to seeking revenge. His hands were around Angelina's throat before I could even blink. The necklace fell to the floor, miraculously unharmed.

"How _dare _you!" he snarled, beginning to apply pressure at the exact same time words came flying out of my mouth in a combination of English and German. "I'll fucking _murder_-" Stu lost his grip on Angelina and sailed backwards. His head bounced against the wall so hard that it left behind a hole, and he slid to the floor in a daze. "Bloody hell! What was _that_?"

"Witchcraft," I said simply, rushing over to check on Angelina. The stress of being forced to choose had caused magic to slip my mind entirely, but seeing Angelina in danger must have triggered my subconscious. She, too, was on the floor, clutching at her throat, coughing, and gasping for air. I helped her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her shoulder to support her while she caught her breath. We quickly backed away while I held my other arm out in a "stop" gesture, which allowed Stu to rise to a standing position but prevented forward movement. "You had no right to hurt her, Stuart."

"Katie...Katie, I'm sorry." Stu tried to approach me, but he could do nothing more than march in place until he gave up in frustration. It would have been amusing under any other circumstances. "You know I never meant to harm Angelina." He looked past me at Angelina, who was hiding behind me. "That necklace was a precious family heirloom—over three hundred years old—and you desecrated it. How could I _not_ lose my bloody temper?"

"I understand, but it's still a material thing," I argued, "and no material thing is worth more than human life—no matter how much sentimental value it has."

He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Angelina doesn't have to die for us to be together, love. I'll just erase her memories of us and she can go on her way-"

"You don't get it, do you? Your jealousy and your abuse have damaged our relationship beyond repair. I can't be with someone I can't trust."

"A compulsive liar has no right to lecture anyone about trust," sneered Stu. I cringed. He _did_ have a point..."I suppose this is the part of the story where you use your magic to kill me." His words were sharp like a knife and his eyes blazed with red fire. I was debating whether or not to confess that I hadn't yet decided what to do with him when he spoke again. "Go ahead—but I'll take you down with me if you do."

"I'm not afraid of ghosts."

Stu shook his head, a smug expression on his face. "I'm talking about our bond, sweetheart. Every vampire knows that if their creator dies, they will, too—except for _you_, apparently."

I tried to peek into Stu's mind to determine whether he was trying to trick me or if he was actually being sincere, but it was like walking through a thick fog. Maybe I just couldn't concentrate with all the adrenaline flowing through my system. Either way, it was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

"You said yourself that there are things worse than death. Being trapped in this house for an eternity, isolated and with no access to blood...I would imagine that qualifies as worse." Stu would suffer greatly at first, but eventually he would just...go dormant, like someone in a coma. Still, I felt like a heartless bitch for what I was about to do to him—even though he'd starved me, too, and without so much as a hint of remorse.

Stu smirked. "Congratulations. You've officially turned into the female version of me."

"That would be impossible." But, deep down inside, I feared that he might be right. Did giving Stu a taste of his own medicine require giving up my soul in return? "There's a big difference between necessary evil and torturing the innocent."

"Just answer one last question before you go: Do you still love me?"

I gave the subject some thought before answering. "I will _always_ love the gentleman you used to be-but I could _never_ love the sadistic brute you've become. Goodbye, Stuart." I kept holding my right hand out, facing Stu, and withdrew my other arm from Angelina's shoulder. "Wait for me outside, Angelina."

I sensed her reluctance to leave, but she relented when I added a "please." I waited for the front door to shut behind her before I began to back away from Stu, all the while continuing the spell in German. On impulse, I snatched his keys off the table in the hallway.

"This isn't over!" Stu thundered. The walls of the house actually vibrated from the timbre of his voice. "I'll have my revenge someday, Katarina!"

I knew otherwise.

* * *

><p>I completed the spell only after I was standing safely on the porch with the front door locked. Stu was now effectively sealed inside his eternal prison.<p>

I had just turned around when something slammed into the nearest window with the force of a tornado. Angelina blanched in terror and gripped my arm with remarkable strength. I threw a glance over my shoulder to witness Stu bare his fangs at us through the parted curtains. Only my spell prevented the window from shattering and spraying all of us with shards of glass.

"Don't worry. He can't get out," I assured Angelina. I didn't blame her for fearing the worst: Anyone without an intimate understanding of witchcraft would be skeptical that a simple spell could trap an enraged and powerful vampire forever.

"I sure h-hope n-not," she muttered through chattering teeth. I squeezed her hand and led her down the steps.

My head was spinning as I dragged Angelina toward Stu's car. In just a few short days, I had regained my witchcraft, restored Angelina to human, escaped from Stu and his violent mood swings, and prevented him from ever hurting anyone again.

"I'm sorry about the necklace, Katie," Angelina whispered once we were both inside the vehicle. She shivered from the cold and picked at her chipped black nail polish. I regretted not being able to steal a blanket or Stu's coat for her before we made our escape. "I don't know what came over me...I know I shouldn't have done it, but-"

"But you were jealous and couldn't stand the thought of losing me after everything we've been through," I finished as the engine roared to life, flashing her a quick smile to show that all was forgiven. She finally glanced at me and nodded, startled that I had apparently read her mind. "Believe me: I understand. You don't have to apologize." I paused to collect my emotions before adding, "If anything, I should be apologizing to _you_." Thank heavens I needed to keep my eyes on the road. I didn't think I could look into Angelina's pretty blue irises at the moment without being reduced to an incoherent mess.

"Katie..."

"I put you in harm's way by seeking you out when I was on the run from Stu—and then I let Stu get into my head and distract me when you needed me the most. I really fucked up, Angelina, and I'm so sorry about that."

"Stop. Just stop. You redeemed yourself when you saved my life. Besides..." Angelina sucked in a breath. "I understand how you feel about Stu, because I dated a_ lot _of bad boys over the years." I dared to glance at her again and saw that her lips were pursed in a bitter smile. "It's a really hard habit to break. Of course, none of them were homicidal vampires, but, just like Stu, they knew how to make a woman feel like total crap one minute and like a goddess the next. I always thought I could change them if I changed myself in some way..."

I nodded. "Same here." It had crossed my mind over and over again that Stu would stop treating me badly if only I acted differently or thought before speaking.

"I've been cheated on, physically and emotionally abused, and partied too hard because of those guys—but I was addicted." She played with a lock of platinum blonde hair, alternately smoothing it and curling it between her fingers, before continuing in a near-whisper. "I loved how sweet they could be when we made up, and I craved the excitement and adventure they brought to my life."

Again, I nodded in understanding. For every bit of abuse that Stu had heaped upon me, he had done something kind and generous. Heartbreak , I realized, was inevitable in a situation where love and passion would always be at war with jealousy and the lust for power.

"So, how did you break the cycle?" I asked. Personally, I wanted to track down each and every bad boy who had hurt Angelina and tear their fucking throats out.

"I had some good friends in New York—Jamie, Lacey, and Ashley—who helped me. They gave me the courage to break up with the last creep, and they made sure I was never alone so I wouldn't try to call or visit him. I remember them insisting that I watch Lifetime movies and those true crime shows about abused women..." She laughed and shook her head. "I know it sounds stupid, but it worked. My friends helped me realize that I deserved so much better."

"You do."

"I'm not the only one." Angelina rested her hand on my thigh, and the electricity her touch sent racing through my body nearly caused me to swerve off the road. "Holy shit! I didn't realize I had that effect on you!"

I smirked, glad that vampires were incapable of blushing. "I hope this means you don't hate me."

"_Hate_ you? Hell no. Yeah, I was pissed off at you—but that's only because I didn't want you to make the same stupid mistakes I made. I was also"-She lowered her tone a few notches-"terrified of losing you forever."

"I used to have visions of us together when I was just a witch, but I lost my magic after Stu turned me, and the visions stopped," I confessed. "We didn't cross paths for so many years that I began to believe they were just dreams and nothing else...Then I saw your face on an advertisement for a concert, and I realized that what we had was very real indeed."

"I guess fate brought us together again," she murmured in an awed tone.

"I believe that, too, Angelina." I sighed. "I gave up many years of this lifetime and all of my goals and dreams to be with Stu, but now I know that my destiny clearly lies elsewhere."

"With someone else, you mean?" Angelina asked coyly.

"With you—if you'll have me."

She laughed. It was a beautiful, musical trill. "You're stuck with me, honey. Besides, who _wouldn't _want you?"

_That's the problem,_ I thought. I seemed to have attract the Stus and Drews of the world like a magnet.

The trip back to my flat took longer than expected because I had to drive around aimlessly for awhile before I came across a road that I was familiar with. I honestly didn't mind, though, because it gave Angelina and me a chance to make up for lost time. Since we were on good terms again, the conversation drifted to lighthearted subjects like music and movies.

Nonetheless, my mind kept wandering to Stu. I told myself repeatedly that if I was capable of making Angelina human again, my magic was strong enough to keep Stu contained within his house, and that imprisoning him _had_ to be done in order to save countless lives—Angelina's and mine included. Nonetheless, I couldn't shake my fear that Stu would somehow break free and go on a bloodthirsty and vengeful rampage...

"So...What do we do now?" Angelina wondered as I pulled the car into the parking lot. I was so grateful for her interruption that I almost kissed her right then and there, but I managed to restrain myself.

"I'm going to move again, Angelina, and I'd like you to come with me."

"Where are we going?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea, but I think we should decide that together."

As soon as we walked through the front door, I told Angelina to make herself at home, then disappeared into my bedroom. I returned with some warm clothes for her, which she gratefully accepted, and went back to the wardrobe to select some clothing for myself. I stripped off Stu's T-shirt and discarded it in one of my suitcases, thinking it would make a perfectly good nightgown for Angelina, then I changed my underwear and dressed in my usual head-to-toe black uniform: Tank top, pants, boots. I threw on a long-sleeved shirt, too, so I wouldn't look out of place in the middle of autumn.

I went through the motions of packing up my belongings in preparation for yet another move. I didn't know where we would go...I just wanted to get the hell out of Kentucky. There were too many bad memories associated with this place.

A lump formed in my throat as my gaze swept over a dark wood-framed photograph on my nightstand. Paul and I were carefree teenagers in the picture: He was smiling for the camera, one arm casually draped over my shoulder, and I was smirking at him. With a sigh, I picked up the frame and cradled it to my chest. My eyes smarted with the threat of another batch of tears.

It was time to close that chapter of my life and write a new one. I knew that Paul and I could never be lovers again, but I still dreamed of rekindling our friendship—and I owed him both an apology and an explanation for my disappearing act.

"Katie?" I jumped, surprised that Angelina had managed to sneak up on me. I must have been so lost in thought that my preternatural gifts had failed me for once. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just wondered if I could help you pack...It feels weird just sitting around while you're working."

"Oh. Sure." I smiled and began to wrap the frame in a dark violet long-sleeved shirt, but Angelina stopped me with a light touch on the arm. My cold skin tingled where her warm fingers had brushed against it.

"What's wrong? You look like you're about to cry."

I handed the picture to her. "This is my stepbrother, Paul. I haven't seen him in eight years."

"_Eight_ _years_? Wait a minute...That's around the time you became a vampire, isn't it?" She studied the photograph briefly before returning it to me. I set it back on the nightstand and sunk onto the bed. Angelina took a seat next to me.

"Yes. I went over to his place to say goodbye shortly after I was turned, but my hunger got the better of me and I attacked him. Paul would have _died_ if Stu hadn't intervened...Stu also erased Paul's memory so he wouldn't remember what I did or what I had become. That was the last time I ever saw him."

"How awful." Angelina seemed to realize that her words weren't helping, so she amended her statement. "But you've obviously learned to control your blood lust—hunger, whatever-since then. I mean, you had a _ton _of opportunities to kill me, but you didn't. That has to counts for something, right?"

She clearly had no memories of the times Stu had needed to pull me off of her in order to keep me from draining her dry, but pointing that out would have made things awkward between us again.

"Here." Angelina grabbed my laptop off the desk and positioned it on my lap. "Look him up. I bet he misses you, too."

"I don't know..." I was suddenly uncomfortable with the idea of searching out my first love—well, my first love in _this _lifetime—after finally being reunited with my soul mate. What if there were still sparks? Worse yet, what if he wanted nothing to do with me?

"He's probably been worried sick about you all these years," Angelina gently pointed out. "The least you can do is let him know that you're alive—or at least _pretend_ you're alive."

"It's all right. Paul already knows I'm a witch. He won't be _too_ shocked to discover that I've become a vampire." I pressed my fingers to the keyboard, but they seemed to go numb at the prospect of actually typing. "There's something else you need to know about Paul...Well, Paul and me, technically."

"You two were in love."

I nodded, stunned by her perceptiveness. "How did you..."

She grinned and rolled her eyes. "It's so obvious by the way you two are looking at each other in that picture. Um...If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you guys?"

"We drifted apart. Between work, school, and pursuing our dreams—Paul was training to become a firefighter and my passion was acting—we just didn't have much time to hang out anymore. It was easier to spend time with my non-human friends because they could adapt to my crazy schedule." As much as I missed PJ the werewolf, Layla the succubus, and Stephen the ghost, I feared that contacting them would lead Drew straight to me. "Then I got involved with Stu, and..." I shrugged. "Well, you know how the rest of the story goes."

"No, I don't-because _this_ story isn't finished yet."

"Aren't you afraid?" Had I been in her shoes, I probably would have felt threatened by the idea of my girfriend trying to contact and befriend an ex-lover.

"Afraid?" Her brows knitted together as she contemplated my words. "Of what-you going back to him?" I nodded, and Angelina smiled. "No. The way I see it, if we really _are_ soul mates, then _nothing_ can tear us apart. Stu couldn't do it, and, if we're meant to be together, then neither can Paul.

"I just want you to be happy, Katie," she added, blushing.

I smiled, too. Nothing would make me happier than having both Angelina and Paul in my life again, and I told her that.

"So...Are you going to look him up now?" She seemed pleased with my answer.

"In a minute. There's something I need-and want-to do first."

"What's that?"

"This." I cupped Angelina's face between my hands and planted a kiss on her soft pink lips. Kissing her felt good, of course, but it also felt _right_-like I'd finally found a piece of myself that had been missing for years. Neither of us wanted to break the kiss, which had deepened considerably, but Angelina did have to come up for air eventually...

"Paul can wait a little while, but I can't." The words tumbled out of my mouth in a rush. Now was _not_ the time for talking.

"Neither can I," Angelina agreed breathlessly. Clothes-both the clothing we wore and the pile covering my bed-my laptop, and suitcases were hasity cleared away. I instinctively tried to kiss her again, but Angelina, wearing only a devious smirk, had other ideas.

We made love and held each other afterward. Through the blissful haze of afterglow, I was aware that the negativity I'd carried around from my past had dissolved and been replaced with pleasure over the present moment and promises of an exciting and joyful future together.


End file.
